Falling for a Weasley
by DracoLuciusMalfoy1980
Summary: *CHAPTERS 1-10 CURRENTLY BEING RE-WRITTEN* When Bella Weasley starts Hogwarts, she is ignorant to the watchful eyes of Draco Malfoy. She believes that he is a horrible boy but is he all that he seems? Join Bella as she journeys through school and battles between her head and her heart.
1. Last morning at the Burrow

As the birds began to sing their sweet tune outside the window and the sun was making its way slowly over the horizon, Bella pulled herself from the warmth of her bed onto the cold floors of her bedroom, her brother's snores assaulting her ears. She pulled the door to their bedroom opened and the hinges groaned in the silence. Due to her small frame, the stairs held her weight with ease, no loud creaking.

The Weasley kitchen, usually bustling, was eerily quiet in the early morning hours. Bella poured herself some cereal and sat at her usual seat round the large kitchen table. She would be starting her first year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry in a few short hours and she had to say she was nervous. With Bill being Head Boy, Charlie being Gryffindor Quidditch Captain and Percy being a Prefect, she knew she had a lot to live up to. Fred and George were an exception as they spent their Hogwarts days pranking, but they still managed to achieve good grades. Bella was drawn from her thoughts as she felt another presence in the empty kitchen. She turned her head towards the doorway where Ginny stood, tears streaming down her rosy cheeks, handkerchief grasped in her hand.

"Why are you crying, Gin?" Bella asked as she patted the seat on her left and Ginny took it.

"You and Ron are leaving for Hogwarts today. I'm going to be all alone now." She replied as Bella wrapped her arm around her shoulders, pulling her in for a hug.

"Hey. Don't be silly you're not alone at all. You've got Mum and Dad. And your friend Luna only lives over the hill." Bella replied, wiping away the tears on Ginny's cheeks with her sleeve.

"It's not the same though. I'm going to miss you." Ginny sniffed.

"I'm going to miss you too Gin. Why don't we make a pact to write as often as we can huh?" Bella asked, pulling back to look at her as she began to smile.

"I'd like that." Ginny sighed.

"There's that smile I know and love." Bella teased as Ginny began to giggle.

The girls turned towards the doorway as the stairs in the hallway creaked, announcing the arrival of another family member, most likely the Weasley Matriarch. The soft mutterings of Molly Weasley could be heard in the small kitchen as the two sisters giggled. Too caught up in what she was doing, Molly didn't notice her daughters as she stepped into the kitchen, an overflowing basket of washing in her arms.

"Do you want a hand, mum?" Bella asked.

"Oh! Heavens dear, I didn't see you there." Molly turned towards them, clutching her chest in fright.

"Sorry mum." Bella chuckled. "Do you need a hand?"

"Oh no, I'm fine dear." Molly smiled at her eldest daughter. "Are you all packed?"

"Yes. I packed last night. I packed Ron's trunk too." Bella smiled.

"Thank you sweetie." She said, kissing the top of her head. "Are you hungry?"

"I am!" Ginny said loudly.

"I'm okay thanks, mum." Bella smiled.

Bella creeped quietly up the stairs, heading towards her bedroom, intent on waking Ron as sneakily as she could. She listened at the door as his soft snores met her ears. She pushed the squeaking door open quickly and held her breath. His snores resumed and she let out a sigh of relief. She swept over to his bed and stood, towering over him in his vulnerable state. She readied herself and jumped, landing all of her weight on top of him. She lay on top of him on her back as he groaned audibly. She sat up on the edge of the bed and Ron flipped the covers off his face.

"You're a fat lump." He moaned.

"I might be fat but you're fat and ugly. Get up." Bella retorted, standing and pulling the covers from him, exposing him to the cold temperature in their room.

"Aw Bella, why?!" He groaned.

"We're going to Hogwarts today and you'll not be going anywhere if you don't get up, you lazy sod." Bella replied, dropping his covers on the floor.

While Ron lay in bed, grumbling and groaning about how much of a horrible sister she was, Bella gathered up her stuff and headed to the bathroom, pulling the creaky door shut on Ron's complaining.

After a quick shower, Bella was dressed and ready to start the day and Ron was now banging on the door of the bathroom.

"Open up! I need to pee!" He was yelling through the door.

"Just come in then!" She yelled back.

Ron pushed the bathroom door open quickly and closed it just as quickly behind him. He rushed to the toilet bowl just as Bella was doing her hair and she turned her back on him to finish what she was doing. She left soon after, leaving Ron to get ready for the day. Bella checked she had everything she needed safely stored in her trunk and pushed the heavy object down the many stairs in the Burrow. Once on the ground floor, she pushed it along the ground with her foot until she reached the garage where her father was loading their many trunks into the boot of their car.

"Morning, Princess." He smiled at her as he appeared in the doorway, lifting her trunk from the ground with ease.

"Are you sure we're all going to fit in there?" Bella asked skeptically as she peered around him to glance at the car.

"Let's just say, your mother has her ways and I have mine." Arthur smiled at her and tapped his wand slowly off the boot of the car. Bella's eyes lit up as she realised just what her father was trying to tell her.

"Our secret." She smiled, tapping the side of her nose with her finger.

"That's my girl." Arthur smiled back as she beamed widely at him.


	2. And we're off

After what felt like an age, the Weasley's were all packed into the back of their old Ford Anglia. Her brothers were all bickering as usual while Bella sat squashed between Ron and Percy, a book propped open in her lap. We pulled up onto the curb on the busy streets of London, across the road from King's Cross Station, home to Platform nine and three quarters. Molly instructed Arthur and Percy to go and collect the luggage trolleys they would need while Fred and George were instructed to lift everything from the boot out onto the pavement. After a lot of moaning and not a lot of actual lifting, their belongings were on the luggage trolleys and the Weasley family were making their way through the packed station.

"It's the same every year. Always packed with Muggles, of course." Molly muttered as she pushed her way through the busy station. "Come on. Platform 9 3/4 this way! All right, Percy, you first." Percy ran head first at the wall and disappeared. No matter how many times Bella had seen her brothers do this it always mesmerized her.

"Fred, you next." Their mother called.

"He's not Fred, I am!" George yelled and Bella and Ron silently chuckled together, knowing they were just trying to wind up their mother.

"Honestly woman, you call yourself our mother!" Fred mock scolded.

"Oh, I'm sorry George." She said.

"I'm only joking. I am Fred." At this, Fred runs at the wall and George follows straight after.

Just as their mother is about to show Ron through, a boy with shaggy black hair and piercing green eyes speaks up from her side.

"Excuse me" C-could you tell me how to-" He stuttered

"How to get onto the platform? Yes, not to worry dear. It's Ron and Bella's first time to Hogwarts as well." Mum says, inclining her head towards the twins at her side. Bella smiled at the obviously scared young boy and he smiled back.

"Now, all you've got to do is walk straight at the wall between platforms 9 and 10. Best do it at a bit of a run if you're nervous." Molly said to the boy.

"Good luck." Ginny said from Bella's side on the platform.

He took a deep breath, squeezed his eyes shut and ran towards the wall, disappearing through it.

"It's very easy." Arthur commented, ushering Ron forwards.

"Good luck Ron." Bella said to her nervous looking brother. She watched him gulp before he closed his eyes and ran straight for the wall and disappeared, Arthur following him.

"I promise you'll be absolutely fine." Molly smiled as she ushered Bella towards the wall.

"I hope you're right." She muttered as she ran at the wall and emerged through it, a great big steam engine looking back at her.

"I knew you could do it Princess." Arthur beamed as he hugged her, Molly and Ginny arriving at her back.

"Have a lovely year both of you. And please behave." Molly said as she hugged both sets of twins.

"Thanks mum." Bella and Ron chorused as Ginny threw her arms around them.

"See you at Christmas Gin." Bella smiled as Ginny hugged them tighter.

"Yeah see you at Christmas." Ron said, trying to pry her arms from around them.

The twins said their goodbyes to their parents and sister as the boarded the train that would take them to school. The train then began to move and they waved after Ginny as she chased the train to the end of the platform. The train pulled out of the station and just like that, their first year at Hogwarts had begun.

"What way should we go?" Bella asked as she looked up and down the aisle they were standing in.

"This way." Ron said, leading the way up the aisle. The further they walked the more hope was lost that they would find a compartment as every one they passed was full.

"We are never going to find one." Bella groaned.

"I just have." Ron exclaimed as he slid back the door to a compartment with only one boy in it.

"Excuse me, do you mind? Everywhere else is full." Ron asked as Bella lingered behind him in the corridor.

"No, not at all." The boy replied and as he glanced at her, Bella realised that he was the boy from the platform.

Ron took the seat across from the boy and pulled Bella down into the seat beside him.

"I'm Ron, by the way. Ron Weasley and this is my twin sister Bella."

"Hi." Bella said.

"I'm Harry. Harry Potter." The boy introduced himself. Ron's mouth dropped open and Bella elbowed him.

"Do you really have the... you know?" Ron asked, pointing to his forehead.

"The what?" Harry asks, dumbfounded.

"Scar...?" Ron whispers. Bella rolled her eyes at Ron and his dramatics.

"Oh, yeah." Harry says as he lifts his hair to show his lightning bolt scar on his forehead.

"Wicked." Ron replies.

"Apologies for my brother and his manners, I'm not half as bad as he is." Bella laughed.

"What did I do now?" Ron asks but at that, the trolley lady appears with her trolley full of sweets.

"Anything off the trolley dears?" She asks.

"No thanks, we're set." Bella replied as she reached into her pocket and pulled out a squashed jam sandwich and Ron done the same.

"We'll take the lot!" Harry says as he pulls a handful of coins from his pocket and hands them to the trolley lady. Ron and Bella looked at each other with looks of utter disbelief.

"Woah!"

The three first years sat for ages gorging on sweets and filling their faces. Bella giggled at Ron's pet Rat Scabbers, lying on Ron's knee with a box over his head.

"Bertie Bott's Every Flavour Beans?" Harry asked.

"Exactly what it says on the box, every flavour you could imagine. There's loads, George swears he got a bogey flavoured one once but I think he was kidding." Bella said absentmindedly looking out the window. Harry quickly took the bean he was chewing out of his mouth.

"These aren't real frogs, are they?" Harry asks holding up Bella's favourite, chocolate frogs.

"It's only a spell. Besides, it's the cards you want. Each pack's got a famous witch or wizard. Ron's got about 500 of them." Bella replied, chomping down on a pumpkin pasty. The frog from Harry's packet ribbets and hops onto the window, crawling up to the top and leaping through the gap.

"Oh, that's rotten luck. They've only got one good jump in them to begin with." Ron said offhandedly.

"Hey, I got Dumbledore!" Harry said.

"I got about 6 of him." Ron said.

"Hey, he's gone!" Harry gasped.

"Well, you can't expect him to hang around all day, can you?" Bella laughed.

"This is Scabbers, by the way, pathetic, isn't he?" Ron said, looking down at the squeaking rat.

"Just a little bit." Harry said.

"He creeps me out." Bella commented.

"Only because he bit you when we were younger and you've been terrified of him ever since." Ron laughed.

"Whatever." Bella huffed.

"Fred gave me a spell to turn him yellow. Want to see?" Ron asked Harry.

"Yeah!" Harry replied enthusiastically.

"I can guarantee it will not work. It's Fred and George we're talking about." Bella added but it fell on deaf ears as Ron pulled out his wand.

Ron cleared his throat. "Ahem. Sun-" His speech is interrupted as the door to the compartment was pulled open to reveal a young girl with bushy brown hair stood there. "Has anyone seen a toad? A boy named Neville's lost one." She asked in a matter-of-fact tone. "No." Ron snapped.

"Oh, are you doing magic? Let's see then." The girl said as she dropped into the seat across from Bella. "Aghhhemm." Ron cleared his throat loudly. "Sunshine, daises, butter mellow, turn this stupid fat rat yellow!" Ron waved his wand about and nearly hit Scabbers as he jabbed it at him.

"Are you sure that's a real spell? Well, it's not very good, is it? Of course I've only tried a few simple spells myself, and they've all worked for me. For example..." The girl moved to the space in front of Harry and pointed her wand square between his eyes. Bella watched Harry tense in his seat and she became worried about what this would entail.

"Oculus Reparo." The girl said, fixing the damaged noseband of Harry's glasses. Harry, shell-shocked, took his glasses off and examined them.

"That's better isn't it? Wow, you're Harry Potter, I've read all about you! I'm Hermione Granger, and you are?" The girl spoke quickly.

"I'm Bella Weasley." Bella said politely.

"I'm...Ron Weasley." Ron answered with a mouth full of sweets

"Pleasure. You all better change into your robes. I expect we'll be arriving soon."

At that Hermione made to leave but turned back just as she reached the doorway.

"You've got dirt, on your nose, by the way, did you know? Just there." She said to Ron as she pointed to his nose and he quickly turned away, wiping furiously at his face.

"I'm going to change." Bella said before she walked out of the compartment and walked down the corridor toward the sign showing the toilets. She changed pretty quickly and was on her way back to the compartment when she was knocked to the ground by someone.

"Watch where you're going." Bella looked up to see who had knocked her to the ground and she came face to face with the slimy git Draco Malfoy.

"Malfoy." She spat, venom dripping off her tongue as she hauled herself to her feet. She made to move past him but he grabbed her upper arm with more force than she expected and she flinched. "Let. Me. Go." she growled, punctuating every word.

"You might want to watch yourself. Don't want a hair on that pretty little head of yours getting hurt now do we? Whatever would your mother do if her precious Bella was hurt?" He whispered in her ear and she pulled away to see him smirking at her. He dropped his hold on her arm and she stormed off but not before he managed to get the last word in. "Heed my warning Weasley. You'll see I'm right one of these days."

 _'Who does he think he is! Pompous, arrogant git!'_ She fumed. In her anger, she slammed the door of the compartment shut with such force that the window pane rattled. "What happened?" Ron asked. "Malfoy is a git. Nothing we didn't already know." She growled angrily.

The train slowed to a stop and Bella pulled open the compartment door, more gentle now, as she, Harry and Ron made their way onto the platform. Bella noticed a large figure standing at the end of the platform and was surprised when a booming voice sounded above the chatter on the platform.

"Firs' years over 'ere."


	3. Let the sorting begin

"Righ' then! Firs' years! This way please! Come on now, don' be shy! Come on now, 'urry up!"

We followed the booming voice and came across a giant man with a big shaggy beard and shaggy hair.

"Hello, Harry." The huge man says.

"Hey, Hagrid." Harry replies smiling.

"Whoaa!" Ron says.

"You can say that again." I say, linking my arm through Ron's and squeezing.

"Righ' then. This way to the boats! Come on, now, follow me."

We come to a vast expanse of water and I freeze. I am deathly afraid of water and Ron knows it.

"Bel?" Ron says as he feels me tense. "Are you okay?"

All I can do is shake my head in response.

"Come on, you'll be okay. You've got me and you know I'd never let anything happen to you." Ron says, trying to coax me into a boat. He's edging me forward bit by bit only because I am stiff with fear and can't bring myself to move.

"I won't let anything happen to you either Bella." Harry says as he takes my hand and gives it a reassuring squeeze.

That's when I finally snap back to reality. I let go on Ron's arm and Harry's hand and give myself a shake.

"Pull yourself together woman. You're a witch for Merlin's sake." I say to myself before I march towards a boat and drop down into a seat.

Ron scurries into the boat and sits beside me, taking my hand in his and I feel grateful for the comfort he's providing me right now. Harry takes the seat opposite him and a girl with long blonde hair takes the seat beside him. She smiles politely at me and I smile back at her. Everyone is silent for the ride and as soon as the boat stops I race out onto dry land and can feel safe again.

Hagrid then ushers us up a flight of stairs where there is a woman waiting at the top. The woman had a stern face and tight lips and an equally tight bun on the top of her head.

"Welcome to Hogwarts. Now, in a few moments, you will pass through these doors and join your classmates. But before you can take your seats you must be sorted into your houses. They are Gryffindor, Ravenclaw, Hufflepuff, and Slytherin. Now, while you are here, your house will be like your family. Your triumphs will earn you house points. Any rule breaking, and you will lose points. At the end of the year, the house with the most points is awarded the house cup." The woman says as if she is reading from a textbook.

"Trevor!" A boy yells as he leaps towards the woman's feet. "Sorry." He says when he spots her staring at him and he backs away.

"The sorting ceremony will begin momentarily." She says before she turns on her heel and leaves through oak doors behind her.

"It's true then, what they're saying on the train. Harry Potter has come to Hogwarts." I'd know that voice anywhere, it's Draco Malfoy being a git, wouldn't be the first time today. "This is Crabbe, and Goyle" He says as he inclines his head towards two boys who look more like animals and I realise that these must be his lackeys. "and I'm Malfoy...Draco Malfoy." He continues while Ron and I snicker. "I'd know you two anywhere. Little Bella and Ron Weasley. Don't go getting a big head now you're at Hogwarts, you're still scum." Draco sneers down at us while I silently fume, just who does he think he is? Turning back to Harry he speaks again "You'll soon learn that some wizarding families are better than others, I can help you there." Extending his arm, Draco has a smug smile on his face as he waits for Harry to take his hand.

"I think I can tell the wrong sort for myself, thanks." Harry says, staring Draco down.

"That put you in your place didn't it." I say, crossing my arms.

"You should be more careful Weasley." Draco says but there's no hint of his usual smirk, he just looks sad, and it leaves me stumped for a reply.

"Is that a threat?" Ron asks, glaring at Draco.

"It's a promise." Draco says, smirk returning.

Just then the tight lipped woman returns.

"We're ready for you now."

The assembled group follows behind the woman. As the doors swing open to allow us entrance I'm in awe of what's in front of me, I heard Hogwarts was magnificent but seeing it now I realise it's breath-taking. There are four long tables situated in the room littered with students, floating candles all around the room give a homely feel and the ceiling shimmers like the night sky.

"It's not real, the ceiling. It's just bewitched to look like the night sky. I read about it in Hogwarts: A History." I can hear Hermione say from further behind me in the line of kids.

"All right, will you wait along here, please? Now, before we begin, Professor Dumbldedore would like to say a few words." She says, turning towards the head table. Dumbledore rises to his feet and smiles at the woman.

"Thank you Professor McGonagall. Now, I have a few start of term notices I wish to announce. The first years please note that the dark forest is strictly forbidden to all students. Also, our caretaker, Mr. Filch has asked me to remind you that the 3rd floor corridor on the right hand side is out of bounds to everyone who does not wish to die a most painful death. Thank you." Dumbledore then takes his seat again, a smile plastered on his face.

"When I call your name, you will come forth, I shall place the sorting hat on your head, and you will be sorted into your houses. Hermione Granger."

"Oh, no. Okay, relax." Hermione takes a few deep breaths to steady herself before she walks up to the stool and perches on it.

"Mental that one, I'm telling you." Ron says. Harry nods in agreement.

"That is not nice Ronald Weasley!" I say slapping him in the chest.

"Ah, right then...hmm...right. Okay...Gryffindor!" The Sorting Hat roars it's choice.

The whole Gryffindor table erupts and Hermione jumps off the stool with a smile.

This continues on before...

"Draco Malfoy."

Draco saunters up proudly. The tattered hat nearly freaks before touching down on Dracos head and yelling...

"SLYTHERIN!"

"There isn't a witch or wizard who went bad who wasn't in Slytherin." Ron whispers to Harry and I nod my head in agreement.

"Ahh!" Harry groans putting his hand to his head.

"Harry, what is it?" I ask.

"Nothing...it's nothing, I'm fine." He says, turning back to the sorting.

"Ronald Weasley."

I pat Ron's arm as he gulps and walks up. He sits down on the stool and the hat is placed on his head.

"Ah! Another Weasley. I know just where to put you...Gryffindor!"

Ron sighs as the Gryffindor table erupts yet again and I can hear Fred and George shouting before Ron smiles at me and practically runs to the table.

"Emily Anderson"

A petite girl with long brown hair and a freckly face sits down on the stool and nervously looks around the hall.

"Ah yes! I see a lot of potential in you young one, better be... GRYFFINDOR!"

The girl practically rips the hat off of her he and runs to the table and sits down.

"Bella Weasley."

My palms are sweating now as I walk towards the seat.

"Ah! Young Miss Weasley. Where to put you? Gryffindor is where your heart lies but you would do so much good in Slytherin." My eyes widen at the hats confession and my heart starts racing.

"I suppose the best place for you would be... GRYFFINDOR!"

I release a breath I didn't realise I was holding as the hat is taken off my head and I make my way over to the Gryffindor table. I choose a seat across from Fred and George, beside Ron and with the brown haired girl at my other side.

"Hi." I say. "I'm Bella Weasey."

"I'm Emily Anderson." She says, a thick Scottish accent coming out.

"I hope we can be good friends Emily." I say smiling.

"Me too." She says before we turn back to the sorting.

"Freya Scott"

A tanned girl with a baby face and long blonde hair sits down on the stool.

"There is no doubt that you belong in... GRYFFINDOR!"

She smiles a broad smile before skipping down to the table and taking a seat on Emily's other side.

"Hi I'm Freya." She introduces herself with a heavy Irish accent.

"Bella." I say.

"Emily."

"Lovely to meet you both." She says.

"Likewise." I say as I turn when Harry's name is called.

"Harry Potter."

Everything goes silent. Harry walks up to the stool and sits down.

"Hmm...difficult, very difficult. Plenty of courage I see, not a bad mind, either. There's talent, oh yes, and a thirst to prove yourself. But where to put you?"

"Not Slytherin. Not Slytherin." Harry whispers.

"Not Slytherin, eh? Are you sure? You could be great, you know. Its all here in your head. And Slytherin will help you on your way to greatness! There's no doubt about that! No? Meanwhile Harry whispers, _'Not Slytherin...anything but Slytherin'_ Well, if youre sure...better be...GRYFFINDOR!"

the Gryffindor table is the loudest it's been as everyone is screaming and banging on the table while Fred and George are chanting "We got Potter! We got Potter!" Harry leaves the stool and takes a seat at Ron's opposite side.

As the sorting continued I turned my eyes towards the Slytherin table finding Malfoy's eyes already on me. He sent a wink my way, leaving me spluttering, at my flustered expression he smirked before turning his eyes back to the final person being sorted. As the final boy takes his seat at the Slytherin table a silence fell over the hall.

"Your attention, please." McGonagall calls as she taps her fork against her glass and Dumbledore stands.

"Let the feast...begin."


	4. Why the house on the 7th floor?

"That feast was amazing." I sighed.

"Get used to lavish cooking little sis." Fred said.

"This will be your grub for the next 7 years." George followed.

"I could get used to this." I laughed.

"Here we go." Fred snickered as Percy got to his feet and beckoned for all of the first years.

"Save us." Ron called to Fred and George who just laughed.

"Gryffindors, follow me please. Keep up. Thank you." Percy called over his shoulder.

"Percy, see for the sake of all of the people who are smaller than you, could you maybe SLOW DOWN!" I yelled as I struggled to keep up with his long strides.

"You're just going to have to keep up Bella!" he yelled back.

"Now this is the most direct path to the dormitories. Oh, and keep an eye on the staircases...they like to change." "Keep up, please, and follow me. Quickly now, come on. Come on."

"Stairs that move?" I said exasperated.

"Seems like it." Emily laughed.

"Come on Bella, we'll get lost." Freya said.

"Can't go on." I gasped. I dropped to the floor as dramatically as I could. "Go on without me!" I breathed out, putting the back of my hand to my head.

"Blimey Bella do you have to be such a drama queen?" Ron asked as he scooped me up off the ground and gave me a lift on his back.

"Thank you Ronniekins." I laughed.

"I'll drop you." He said.

"Sorry." I said.

"Seamus look that picutre's moving!" A boy called Neville said.

"Look at the one Harry!" Ron said.

"I think she fancies you." Harry laughed.

"Ooo, ickle Ronniekins has an admirer." Voices came from behind us and Ron turned to see Fred and George walking behind us.

"The girl in that painting is beautiful." Freya said pointing to a painting of a painting of a young girl.

We followed Percy up a set of stairs and he stopped at a painting of a large woman in a pink dress.

"Password?" The woman asked.  
" _Caput_ _Draconis_ _."_ Percy said, the woman in that painting nodded and the portrait swung open to reveal a hole in the wall. "Follow me, everyone. Keep up, quickly, come on."

Ron put me down and we all made our way into the common room.

"Wow." I said as Ron let out a low whistle.

"Gather 'round here. Welcome to the Gryffindor Common Room. Boys' dormitories, upstairs and down to your left. Girls, the same on your right. You'll find that your belongings have already been brought up."

"Thanks Perce." I said, shoulder barging him. He rolled his eyes at me and stalked off in the direction of the dormitories.

"What's his problem?" I asked.

"He's a pompous ass?" Fred said.

"His head's stuck up his ass?" George asked.

"Or both." Ron said.

"You guys want to head up?" I asked Freya and Emily who both nodded.

"We're going to head to bed, I'll see you in the morning okay?" I said to Ron.

"Yeah. Goodnight Bella, Night guys." He said.

"Goodnight everyone." We chorused as we headed off to our dormitory.

When we got there we found that we were sharing with 3 other girls. Hermione, who I had met on the train. Lavender Brown, a very snide girl who I knew immediately I would not like and Parvarti Patil who seemed like a nice girl but she follows Lavender around like a lost puppy so she isn't really my cup of tea.

"How did you enjoy the feast?" I asked Hermione as we were all unpacking.

"It was splendid, wouldn't you agree?" She enthused.

"I would, I would even go as far as to say it's better than my mother's cooking but don't ever tell her I said that." I laughed.

"So how many siblings do you have altogether?" Emily asked as we all sat on my bed.

"I have 6 brothers and 1 sister." I said proudly.

"Wow" Freya said. "I've got a brother."

"My mum wanted 4 children but only had 3." Emily laughed.

"Do you have any siblings?" I asked Hermione after she hadn't spoken up.

"No, I'm an only child." Hermione said.

"Do you want siblings?" Freya asked.

"I did when I was young because I was bullied a lot in primary school but now I'm happy I'm here." Hermione smiled.

"You don't have to worry about bullying anymore, you've got us." I smiled as I patted her arm.

"Thanks." She smiled. "We should probably all head to bed now, we've got long days ahead of us now."

"Yeah you're right." Emily said as they all dispersed to their beds.

Good-nights echoed around the dorm as I pulled the covers around me and fell into a peaceful sleep.


	5. Snape's a git, no doubt about it

The first class of the year was potions and Ron and I were absolutely dreading it. We filed into the classroom and I settled into a seat, Harry on my left and Hermione on the right.

"Snape's a smarmy git." Ron fumed.

At that, the door to the classroom slammed open and Snape rushed in, his cloak billowing behind him. I couldn't help but roll my eyes.

"There will be no foolish wand waving or silly incantations in this class. As such, I don't expect many of you to enjoy the subtle science and exact art that is potion making. However, for those select few-" He glances at Draco who, to my astonishment, manages to return a genuine smile. "who possess the predisposition, I can teach you how to bewitch the mind and ensnare the senses. I can tell you how to bottle fame, brew glory and even put a stopper in death. Then again, maybe some of you have come to Hogwarts in possession of abilities so formidable that you feel confidant enough to not...pay...attention."

Snape looks at Harry as he speaks and I notice that Harry is too busy writing. I nudge him in the ribs and he finally looks up from his parchment.

"Mr. Potter. Our...new...celebrity. Tell me, what would I get if I added powdered root of asphodel to an infusion of wormwood?" Hermione's hand rockets into the air but Harry just shrugs. "You don't know? Well, let's try again. Where, Mr. Potter, would you look if I asked you to find me a bezoar?" Hermione's hand shoots up again.

"I don't know, Sir."

"And what is the difference between Monkshood and Wolfbane?"

"I don't know, Sir."

"Pity. Clearly, fame isn't everything, is it, Mr. Potter?" Snape turns his back on the class and I fume in my seat before I can't take it anymore.

"You're new to this world Harry, don't worry about it. You'll find that some teachers are more bias than others." I say just loud enough for Snape to hear.

I know he has when he turns on his heel to glare at me, raising his eyebrows as if challenging me.

"Would you like to repeat the statement you just made, Miss Weasley?" His voice was cold.

"I was merely telling my friend Harry here that he does not need to worry about being made a mockery of in other classes because as I said, most teachers are not bias." I said with a sickly sweet smile plastered on my face.

"Detention. My office, 7pm." He ordered before turning his back to the class once again.

"What did you go and do that for?" Ron spluttered.

"Leave off it Ron, he's a bully, Harry didn't deserve that." I said, not looking at him.

"I appreciate it but you didn't have to do that." Harry said.

"It was my pleasure." I said, looking straight ahead while the others just looked at me with shocked expressions on their face.

* * *

"Eye of rabbit, harp string hum. Turn this water, into rum." Seamus looks into the cup and shakes his head. "Eye of rabbit, harp string hum..."

"What's Seamus trying to do to that glass of water?" Harry asked.

"Turn it into rum. Actually managed a weak tea yesterday, before..." Ron was interrupted as a massive bang comes from Seamus' cup and there's black smoke all over his face.

"You'll get there one day Sea." I smile as I hand him a napkin from the pile at my side.

"T-Thanks." He stutters, wiping his face.

"Ah. Mail's here!" Ron says as large owls fly into the great hall.

"Can I borrow this? Thanks." Harry asks taking Ron's newspaper.

"Hey, look! Neville's got a Remembrall!" Seamus says and I glance over to see Neville holding a clear orb.

"I've read about those. When the smoke turns red, it means you've forgotten something." Hermione said, the smoke immediately turning red.

"The only problem is, I can't remember what I've forgotten." Neville said.

"It's your robes, Neville. You've forgotten your robes." Freya smiled as Neville glanced down and realised he had forgotten his robes.

"Thanks." He smiled back.

"Hey, guys, somebody broke into Gringotts. Listen, Believed to be the work of dark witches or wizards unknown, Gringotts goblins, while acknowledging the breach, insist that nothing was taken. The vault in question, number 713, had in fact been emptied earlier that same day. That's odd. That's the vault Hagrid and I went to." Harry said, looking around us all with a confused look on his face.


	6. Detention is a chore

As we all sat down for dinner that night, Snape's detention loomed over me like a black cloud.

"I still can't believe you've gone and gotten yourself a detention, and on the first day!" Ron says, mouth full of food.

"What's this about detention?" Fred asks as he and George sit down opposite me.

"Bella went and got herself a detention tonight with Snape because she stuck up for Harry in class earlier." Emily says.

"What did you say to the greasy git sis?" George asks.

"I told Harry that Snape was biased, loud enough for Snape to hear me." I say.

Fred and George howl with laughter while Hermione looks on in disgust.

"It isn't funny that Bella earned herself a detention." Hermione huffs. "You should never disrespect a teacher."

"Hermione, please, if a teacher treats someone with disrespect then they do not deserve that respect and I intend to stick by that." I say as I storm from my seat and head for the dungeons.

* * *

"You shouldn't have done that." A voice says as I turn into the corridor where Snape's classroom is located.

"What?" I ask thinking I was hearing things until Malfoy emerges from the shadows. "For the love of Merlin Malfoy, what do you want?"

"You shouldn't have said that to Snape. You're going to get yourself into a lot of trouble if you don't keep your mouth shut." Malfoy says.

"And who are you to tell me what I can and can't do?" I demand.

I edge past him to get to Snape's classroom but he blocks the doorway.

"Move out of my way Malfoy." I growl.

"Don't say I didn't warn you." He says before he saunters off.

Knocking on Snape's door, I push down my anger and wait for a reply.

"Come in." He drawls and I push the door open to see him sitting behind his desk.

I place my nag on my desk and stand waiting for instructions. Snape looks up and fixes me with a hard stare.

"I want you to wash those cauldrons over there, without magic. There is a cloth and some cauldron cleaner in the cupboard beneath them." Snape drawls.

I turn in the direction that he pointed and see a pile of at least 20 cauldrons and they are all filthy. I internally scream but I will not let Snape see that. I roll up my sleeves before getting started. After locating the cloth and cleaner I got stuck right in. After I had finished scrubbing the first cauldron I wiped away the sweat on my forehead and turned to look at the time. Only 10 minutes had passed.

"Longest 10 minutes of my life." I muttered under my breath as I started the next cauldron.

2 hours had passed and finally all the cauldrons were clean.

"You may go." Snape says without looking up.

Just as my hand grasped the door handle Snape spoke up.

"Let this be a lesson to you Bella, you must learn to keep your head down and you will be safe." He says.

I turned around and met his black eyes boring into my soul.

"Why are you still here?" He asks.

I turned and left, pushing shut the door and walking as fast as my feet would carry me back to the common room. When I got there Ron, Harry, Emily, Freya and the twins were up waiting for me.

"How did it go?" Ron asks.

"I had to scrub cauldrons." I say absently as I drop down into one of the armchairs.

"Are you okay? You look really pale." Freya asks.

"Snape said something weird just before I left." I say.

"What did he say?" Harry asks.

"He told me that I need to learn to keep my head down and I'll be safe if I do that. But that's not the first thing like that someone's said to me since we got here." I say.

"Who else said something like that?" Fred asks.

"Malfoy. Twice. The first time on the train when he walked into me. He told me to watch myself. And then tonight he was waiting for me in the corridor. He said that I shouldn't have said that to Snape and that if I don't keep my mouth shut I'm going to get myself into a lot of trouble." I say, not realising that I've begun to shake.

Ron squeezes into the armchair beside me and wraps his arms around me.

"Why do you think they're saying these things to you?" Emily asks.

"I don't know. But whatever it is, it isn't good."


	7. Malfoy doesn't scare me

We were finally going to do flying lessons and we were all lined up outside, opposite the Slytherins. Malfoy kept trying to catch my attention but I ignored him.

"Good afternoon, class." Madam Hooch says as she makes her way down the line.

"Good afternoon, Madam Hooch." We reply.

"Welcome to your first flying lesson. Well, what are you waiting for? Everyone step up to the left side of their broomstick. Come on now, hurry up. Stick your right hand over the broom and say, Up!"

There are yells of up ringing out across the courtyard as everyone tries to get their broom up.

"Up!" Harry's broom flies into his hand. "Woah." He says before he looks up with a triumphant grin.

"Up!" Draco and I yell in unison and both brooms fly into our hands and Draco looks up with a smug grin.

"Up!" Emily says and her broom flies into her hand.

"With feeling!" Hooch yells.

"Up. Up. Up. Up." Hermione and Freya are now chanting, their brooms unmoving.

"UP!" Ron yells in a fury and his broom flies up and smacks him on the nose. I burst into a fit of laughter. "Shut up Bella." He says while nursing his nose, broom firmly grasped in his hand.

"Now, once you've got hold of your broom, I want you to mount it. And grip it tight, you don't want to be sliding off the end." Everyone mounts their broom. "When I blow my whistle, I want each of you to kick off from the ground, hard. Keep your broom steady, hover for a moment, and then lean forward slightly and touch back down. On my whistle...3...2..." She is interrupted from her countdown by a squeak as Neville's broom takes off from the ground. He looks absolutely terrified.

"Oh..." He squeaks.

"Mr. Longbottom." Madam Hooch calls.

"Neville come back!" Freya yells to him.

"Neville, what are you doing?"

"Neville...Neville..."

"We're not supposed to take off, yet." People are trying to coax Neville back down but to no avail.

"M-M-Mr. Longbottom Mr. Longbottom!" hooch yells as Neville begins to soar.

"AHH!" Nevile screams.

"Down! Down! Ahhhh!" Neville wills his broom to come back down but it won't.

"Neville!" Harry shouts.

"Help!" Neville cries.

"Come back down this instant!" Hooch demands.

"AHH!" Neville screams as he soars through the sky and hits a wall, conking along it and then swooping off. He begins to zoom back towards us screaming for help. Hooch holds out her wand to stop him.

"Mr. Longbottom!" Hooch yells. Neville is fast approaching the group and we all jump out of his path, Hooch included.

He falls off the broom at the top of the tower and his cloak catches on a spear. He slips through his cloak and falls to the ground.

"Everyone out of the way!" Hooch yells as she runs towards him. "Come on, get up."

"Owowowow." Neville groans.

"Oh, oh, oh, oh dear. It's a broken wrist. Tch, tch, tch. Good boy, come on now, up you get." While everyone is occupied with Neville, Draco reaches down and grabs Neville's dropped Remembrall. Hooch then leads Neville off the pitch and towards the castle. "Everyone's to keep their feet firmly on the ground while I take Mr. Longbottom to the hospital wing. Understand? If I see a single broom in the air, the one riding it will find themselves out of Hogwarts before they can say, Quidditch." With that she leads Neville away.

"Did you see his face? Maybe if the fat lump had given this a squeeze, he'd have remembered to fall on his fat ass." Draco laughs.

"You better give it back Malfoy!" I seethed.

"No I don't think I will." He smirks. "Maybe I should give Longbottom some fun and leave it somewhere he'll never find it. Maybe then the fat oaf might get some exercise."

He turned over his shoulder to laugh with his friends as I stomped towards him. Inches away from him I raised my arm and slapped him. Malfoy raised his hand to his face, a shocked expression marring his features.

"You'll pay for that Weasley." One of the two big oafs he calls friends spoke.

"Oh they speak? I thought they were mute." I laughed.

"That big mouth of yours will get you killed." Malfoy said with a low voice as he glared at me.

"Oh Malfoy I'm shaking." I said, sarcasm dripping off my tongue.

I leaned up to get closer to him, poking at his chest with my finger.

"Listen here, I have had enough of you telling me what to do. Back off before I make you."

I turned on my heel, hitting Malfoy in the face with my hair as I went.

"Do your worst, I've been looking for some fun since I got here." He laughed.

Levelling a glare over my shoulder I set off back into the castle. Just who did he think he was? That pompous arrogant little brat! He would get what's coming to him, it was only a matter of time. 


	8. Quidditch runs through your veins

A week had come and gone since the incident with Neville and Malfoy hadn't bothered to make any more remarks about me and my big mouth, to my relief and worry. To cheer everyone up we decided to watch the Quidditch team practise one evening in early October. Fred and George are the Gryffindor beaters and I've always found the game interesting.

"Fancy a go?" Fred yelled over to us.

"We don't have brooms." Ron called back.

"Just take them from the broom cupboard, come on it'll be fun." George replied.

That was how Harry, Ron and I found ourselves mid-air in a Quidditch battle. Fred and George would his the bludgers and we would chase after them, Harry being the fastest of the lot.

"I think we might have found a new team player." Oliver Wood, team captain, chuckled as we met again on solid ground.

"But first years don't play on the house teams." I replied.

"Well I'll have to have a word with Professor McGonagall, we're in need of a new seeker and Harry's talent is exceptional." He smiled, taking off for the changing rooms.

"He's right you know, you do have talent." Ron said as we walked up the hill towards the castle.

"Do you think they would ever put you on the team?" Emily asked.

"I don't know. As Bella said they never put first years on the team." Harry sighed.

"We'll just have to wait and see won't we." I smiled, trying to lighten the mood.

* * *

Oliver had indeed spoken with Professor McGonagall and after a gruelling trial overseen by her and Professor Dumbledore, Harry was appointed the new seeker of the Gryffindor Quidditch team.

"Have you heard? Harry Potter's the new Gryffindor Seeker. I always knew he'd do well." The voice of Sir Nick said overhead.

"I can't believe my best friend is the new seeker! You must be the youngest Quidditch player in-" Ron was gushing as we walked the corridors.

"A century, according to McGonagall." Harry beamed.

Fred and George approach us from behind to congratulate Harry.

"Hey, well done, Harry, Wood's just told us the good news!" Fred says.

"What we do during a normal Quidditch match is make sure that you don't get bloodied up too bad. Can't make any promises, of course. Rough game, Quidditch." George says.

"Brutal. But no one's died in years. Someone will vanish occasionally..." Fred adds as they break away and we cross the courtyard.

"But they'll turn up in a month or two!" George yells after us.

"Oh, go on, Harry, Quidditch is great. Best game there is! And you'll be great, too!" Emily says.

Hermione spots us walking and jumps up from her work to join us.

"But I've never even played Quidditch. What if I make a fool of myself?" Harry asks.

"You won't make a fool of yourself. It's in your blood." Hermione says.

"What are you talking about?" Freya asks.

"Follow me." Hermione huffs as she turns and heads off towards the castle. We all look at each other and shrug before following after her.

Hermione stops at a trophy case and points to a plaque with the names of previous Quidditch players.

"Look Harry." I say, pointing to a name emblazoned in gold lettering JAMES POTTER with the title SEEKER below it.

"Whoa. Harry, you never told us your father was a Seeker, too." Ron gasps.

"I-I didn't know." He stutters.

"Let's go back to the common room." Freya says, leading the way.

"So many stairs." I laugh as we step onto the staircase.

"I'm telling you, it's spooky. She knows more about you than you do." I hear Ron mutter behind me.

"Who doesn't?" Harry replies.

Then the staircase shudders and starts moving.

Ron screams. Hermione gasps. We're just confused.

"What's happening?" Harry yells.

"The staircases change, remember?" Emily says.

When the staircase finally stops moving, I'm the first to get off. "Let's go this way." I say grabbing Ron's arm.

"Before the staircase moves again." Ron says, holding my hand on his arm.

"Does anyone feel like...we shouldn't be here?" Harry asks as we walk down a corridor.

"We're not supposed to be here. This is the 3rd floor. It's forbidden."


	9. What the hell is that?

They had no sooner stepped off of the staircase when there was a burst of flames coming to life around the corridor.

"Woah!" I yelled as I jumped back in fright.

As if it couldn't get any worse, Mrs Norris came running into the corridor and screeched at us.

"It's Filch's cat!" Ron screeched.

"Run!" Emily yelled, turning on her heel.

We all followed after her, flames lighting along the walls as we passed. Just as we reached the end of the corridor we were stopped in our tracks by a huge wooden door. Emily tried to jiggle the door but to no avail.

"That's it, we're for it!" I wailed.

"Oh move over!" Hermione barked as she's pushed her way to the front and pointed her wand at the handle. "Alohomora."

The door opened and we all bustled in, pushing it shut.

"Alohomora?" Ron questioned.

"Standard book of spells chapter 7." Hermione replied.

"Shush." Emily whisper yelled as she had her ear to the big wooden door.

I turned to see the rest of the room and instantly regretted it. Laying in front of me was a humungous three-headed dog. It began to stir and I grabbed Ron's arm pulling on it.

"Filch is gone." Emily said, straightening.

"Probably thinks the door's locked." Harry said.

"It was locked." Freya pointed out.

"And for good reason." I yelped.

They all turn to look at what has me so terrified and the giant dog begins to wake. Noticing us it lets out an almighty growl and we all about turn and run, screaming. Getting to the other side of the door we just manage to get it shut before we become dog food. Forgetting everyone else I took off as fast as my legs would carry me to the common room.

"What do they think they're doing keeping a thing like that locked up in a school?" Ron fumed as I lay on the floor breathless.

"Didn't you see what it was standing on?" Hermione asks offhandedly.

"You seriously think I was looking at it's feet?! There were more important things to be looking at, like it's three heads for a start." Ron yelled.

"Be quiet or you'll wake the whole house." Freya seethed.

"It's guarding something Ronald, I'd guess something important." Hermione said.

"Guarding something?" Harry asked.

"Yes Harry guarding something. Now if you all don't mind, I'm off to bed before one of you has a bright idea that gets us killed or worse, expelled." Hermione huffed before she stomped off to the dorm.

"She needs to sort out her priorities!" Ron said as he rolled his eyes.

"She's right you know." Emily said. "It's not there by accident."

"Not you as well." Ron groaned.

"I'm just saying." Emily said as she held her hands up in surrender.

"I think the girls might be right Ron." Harry said.

"I suppose." He huffed.

"Goodnight boys." I laughed as I headed up after Hermione and climbed into bed, falling into a deep sleep as soon as my head hit the pillow.

 **A.N - I have gone through and made some small changes to some chapters and there are some bigger scene changes but I think they suit the story better. The writing style will change throughout the rest of the story but not too drastically, I can only apologise to those who have already read the unedited version of these chapters.**


	10. How rude

"Swish and flick, Ronald, how many times." Hermione huffed.

The group of first years found themselves in Professor Flitwick's Charms class and to Ron's immense displeasure he was paired with Hermione.

"Hermione I am!" Ron fumed, swishing his wand wildly in the air.

"Look Ron, stop. This is how it's done." Bella smirked smugly, turning back to her feather. "Wingardium Leviosa."

Bella's feather began to gently rise into the air.

"I can do that." Ron huffed, turning his back on his grinning sister and pointing his wand at his own feather.

"Wingardrium Leviosar! " Ron waves his wand frantically, Hermione reaches out towards him.

"Ron, you'll take someone's eye out doing that. Besides it's Leviosa, not Leviosar." She corrects him.

"Fine then, you do it." Ron spat, sitting back in his chair, arms crossed. Hermione took a deep breath as she steadied herself.

"Wingardium Leviosa." Hermione swished her wand as their feather began to rise into the air.

Ron fumed silently in his seat for the rest of the lesson, the first out the door when the bell rang.

"Don't pay him any mine Hermione." Bella said softly, grasping the other girl's arm gently. "He has a wicked temper, my brother."  
Hermione smiled before taking her leave from the classroom.

* * *

Bella found Hermione in the courtyard, nose in a book as usual.

"Hey Hermione." Bella called over to her. Hermione raised her head from her book, looking at the other girl questioningly. "We're headed for dinner now if you want to come with us?" Bella gestured to her, Freya and Emily.

"Yeah sure." Hermione smiled. Putting her book in her bag Hermione stood to join them, Bella slipping her arm through Hermione's as they set off towards the Great Hall.

The further the group walked they could see Ron and Harry up ahead talking animatedly. As they reached them they could finally hear what the boys were talking about.

"It's Levioooosa, not Leviosaaaar." Ron mocked. "She's a nightmare, honestly. No wonder she hasn't got any friends!"

Hermione dropped her arm from Bella's and pushed past them, shoving Ron in the process.

"Ronald Weasley!" Bella yelled. "You git! That was horrible. What has Hermione ever done to you?"

"What hasn't she done?" Ron fumed back, waving his hands around.

"You better apologise to her Ronald or I promise I will write to mum, I don't think you'd like to get a howler when she's in a bad mood."

Ron's face visibly paled, he looked down into the stern angry face of his sister and could only nod. She was right. He didn't want to feel Molly Weasley's wrath.

All throughout dinner there was no sign of Hermione and Ron had a sheepish grin plastered on his face every time Bella glared over at him.

"What has ickle Ronniekins done to upset our darling sister this time?" Fred asked, dropping into the seat beside Bella.

"He was rude about Hermione and now she's disappeared."

"She's probably in her dorm, I wouldn't worry about it sis." George said from her other side.

"No I don't like this I'm going to find her."

Bella had only just risen from her seat when the doors to the Great Hall were thrown open and Professor Quirrell came rushing into the hall.

"TROLL! IN THE DUNGEON! T-TROOLLL IN THE DUNGEON!" He yells panic stricken. "I thought you ought to know."


	11. Trolls? What kind of school is this?

Quirrell dropped to the ground in a heap as the entire hall erupted in screams.  
"SILENCE!" Dumbledore yelled over the crowd. At once the hall became silent. "Prefects please lead your houses back to the dormitories, teachers please follow me to the dungeons."  
Bella was pushed and shoved with the crowd due to her small height. Before she knew what was happening Bella was being frog-marched down the corridor by Percy.  
"Hermione is missing, let me go!" Bella struggled to no avail.  
"The teachers will find her, but you need to be in the common room."  
Bella huffed knowing struggling was no use. Once in the common room Bella was warned to stay where she was.  
"She'll be okay." Came the voice of Fred over her head as George dropped into the seat beside her.  
"That's just it, they're all missing now." Bella wiped the tears from her eyes as she spoke.  
"What do you mean?"  
"Ron and Harry aren't here, neither are Emily and Freya and I don't know where they are." Bella was beyond worried for her friends and her brother.  
"It'll be okay. You know what they're like." George wrapped his arms around her and pulled her in for a hug.  
It was all Ron's fault. If he hadn't been rude to Hermione then she wouldn't have been crying in the bathroom and they all would now be safe in the common room. But no. Ron had to go and be a git and now they could all be dead. If he wasn't already she was going to kill him. Just as Bella thought she might explode with worry the portrait swung open to admit the missing group, Professor McGonagall bringing up the rear.  
"The troll has been removed from the castle." Were the only words she spoke before departing.  
"Where have you been?!" Bella threw her arms around Ron's neck, pulling back slightly to inspect him for any injuries.  
"We went to get Hermione, we couldn't leave her with a troll on the loose." Ron smiled.  
As the group told her what had happened in the bathroom Bella was speechless. They had actually gone after a fully grown mountain troll! What were they thinking?  
"You're all okay though? No one was hurt?" Bella asked.  
"Thankfully no." Freya replied. "We did lose two hundred and fifty house points though."  
This just kept getting better and better. Two hundred and fifty! There was no way Gryffindor would win the house cup now.  
"Do you have any idea what you've done? Not only could you have gotten yourselves killed but we've lost any chance at the house cup!" Bella fumed.  
"We've already heard it from McGonagall we don't need it from you." Ron snapped.  
"I'm sorry." Bella smiled, throwing her arm around Ron's shoulders. "I'm just glad you're safe."  
A short while later the group retired for the night. Bella lay awake long after the others had gone to sleep. If this was first year what were they in for later?


	12. Quidditch

As October ended and November began the weather turned bitter. Gryffindor tower was always toasty and warm however Bella was adamant she was going to freeze to death any time she left the common room.  
"It's not that cold." Ron replied to another of Bella's rants.  
"Tell that to my fingers, they're turning to icicles!" She shoved her hand under Ron's eyes for emphasis.  
The pair were on their way to the first Quidditch match of the season; Gryffindor versus Slytherin, Harry's first match as seeker. Climbing the many stairs to the Gryffindor stands took Bella's thought momentarily from the bitter cold weather as she tried to heave her nearly frozen legs up them. Finally settling down in her seat between Ron and Seamus, Bella began to tremble with the cold. Pulling her scarf further around her, she snuggled down between the two boys, hoping to absorb some of their body heat.  
The Gryffindor team flew onto the pitch with a deafening roar from the stands. In support of their friend, the first years had made a banner for Harry which read _'Harry is our winner!'_ and Freya and Emily now stood on the end of the bench, waving the banner around frantically. The Quaffle flew into the air and the game began, Bella could hear the twins' best friend, Lee Jordan commentating the match, being scolded every few sentences by an exasperated Professor McGonagall.  
Bella wasn't as avid a fan as her siblings when it came to Quidditch but she enjoyed it all the same; where they liked Quidditch, she liked to read. The only reason she hadn't brought a book with her to pass her time was that this was Harry's first Quidditch match and it made her heart swell with pride watching him soaring through the air, gleeful smile plastered on his face. But she was brought back to earth with a bang as the bitter wind howled around them and she burrowed deeper into her coat and scarf.  
"Are you okay?" Seamus asked from her side, not taking his eyes off the game at hand.  
"I'm absolutely freezing." She chittered, teeth knocking together.  
Seamus turned away from the game and glanced down at her, his eyes raking over her shaking form.  
He opened his coat and wrapped his arm around her, taking his coat with her. Bella snuggled closer to him and he placed her arm softly on her waist, she smiled up at him and sent a smirk back.  
"Can't have you freezing to death now can we?" He winked while she blushed.  
He chuckled before turning back to the game. Bella smiled softly as she averted her gaze from Seamus' still smirking face to Harry darting around the pitch. She shuffled a little closer and lay her head on his shoulder, glad of the warmth he provided.  
Her happiness was short lived when Harry's broom lurched mid-air, nearly throwing him to the ground. Gasps came from all over the stadium as all eyes turned to Harry, players included. Fred and George flew up to try and pull Harry to safety but before they could get any closer Harry's broom rose another foot in the air.  
"What's happening?" Bella cried, turning from Harry to her brother at her side.  
"I don't know!" He replied, fisting his hands in his hair.  
"It's Snape!" Hermione gasped from Ron's other side. "He's jinxing Harry's broom."  
Before anyone could say a word Hermione shot off out of the stands, leaving her bewildered friends behind.  
"Where's she going?" Seamus asked.  
"I don't know" Bella replied quietly as she shook her head.  
As she turned her eyes back to Harry Bella's heart nearly leapt out of her mouth; Harry's broom had thrown him off and he was now gripping to it with one hand. Bella hoped that whatever Hermione was going to do she would do it quick. Things weren't looking good for Harry and she didn't want anything to happen to him.  
In all the commotion of Harry's broom, Slytherin had managed to score another five times with no opposition but even now the Slytherin team were watching Harry just as intently as the Gryffindors, albeit for different reasons.  
Bella released a sigh of relief and slumped down in her seat as Harry's broom stopped trying to buck him off and he managed to swing his leg back over it. Seamus began rubbing slow circles on his back in hopes of calming her down and she couldn't help but smile. She turned her eyes back to the ensuing game as Harry dove, straight for the ground. The atmosphere in the Gryffindor stands rose to an all time high as Harry lunged forward, tumbling from his broom. The first years were all hanging over the barrier now, watching as Harry clamped his hand to his mouth. He then pulled his hand away, the small Golden Snitch glittering between his fingers.  
Bella threw her arms around Seamus' neck as she squealed in delight. He had done it, he'd really done it.  
Down on the pitch they pushed through the crowd of rowdy Gryffindors to congratulate their friend. Fred and George were chanting 'POTTER!', Oliver Wood, the Gryffindor Captain, was openly weeping and Harry was grinning from ear to ear.  
Bella launched herself at Harry as soon as he was in arms length, tackling him in a hug.  
"Well done!" She squealed.  
"Thanks!" Harry laughed.  
She pulled back to let the other congratulate their friend, still smiling brightly.  
"You have a really pretty smile."  
Bella looked over her shoulder and saw Seamus standing behind her, she turned to face him as he grinned down at her.  
"Thank you." She smiled, a faint blush creeping up her cheeks.  
He sent a cheeky wink her way and she laughed, swatting his arm.  
"We're going down to see Hagrid if you want to come?" Ron asked her, appearing at her side.  
Bella turned to look at her brother before turning back to face Seamus.  
"Go." He smiled. "I'll see you later."  
Bella grinned at him before turning to her brother with a swish of her hair. She looped her arm through his as they made their way back over to Ron and Hermione.  
"What was going on with Seamus." Hermione asked her, turning her head back to look at the boy in question.  
"I don't know." Bella answered honestly. "But it was fun."


	13. Snape wouldn't do that

"Well done Harry! Proud o' yer."  
Hagrid clapped Harry on the shoulder sending him tumbling forward. The kettle whistled over the open fire as the four first years shuffled around Hagrid's hut, clambering into a seat. Harry and Ron perched on the side bench while Bella and Hermione settled themselves in Hagrid's large arm chair. He placed steaming cups of tea in front of the youngsters and a plate of cauldron cakes that were as hard as rocks. Hagrid sat down on his large bed and took a sip from his teacup, small droplets oozing down his bushy beard.  
"That was some trouble with yer broom, Harry." Hagrid commented, lifting a cauldron cake to his lips and taking a bite.  
"It was Snape!" Hermione replied. "He jinxed Harry's broom."  
"Don' be stupid" Hagrid exclaimed, spitting cauldron cake everywhere. "Snape is a Hogwarts professor, he wouldn' curse yer broom."  
"He's angry with me." Harry said.  
"Why would Snape be angry with yer?"  
The four shared a look as Harry contemplated the best way to answer. He opted to go with the truth.  
"Because I found out that he was bitten by that three-headed dog on Halloween after he tried to get past it." Harry explained.  
Hagrid dropped the teacup with a crash as his tea sloshed all over the floor and all down his front.  
"How do yer know about Fluffy?" He asked grimly.  
"Fluffy?" Bella questioned as Ron exclaimed _"That beast has a name?"_  
"He's mine, I lent him to Dumbledore to guard the -" Hagrid's eyes went as wide as saucers as he realised he had said too much.  
"Yes?" Said Harry eagerly.  
"Don' be askin' me anymore questions. It's top secret it is." Hagrid replied.  
"But Hagrid." Ron whined. "Snape's trying to _steal_ it."  
"He would do nothin' of the sort. He's a Hogwarts professor."  
"Then why did he jinx Harry's broom?" Bella asked.  
"I know a jinx when I see one Hagrid." Hermione cut in.  
"You have to keep eye contact." Bella added.  
"And Snape _wasn't_ blinking." Hermione raised her eyebrows at Hagrid.  
"Yer wrong!" Hagrid fumed. "Now i'm tellin' yer, forget about fluffy, forget what it's guardin'. Yer meddlin' in dangerous things, things that don' concern yer. It's top secret, between Dumbledore and Nicholas Flamel."  
Hagrid clamped a hand to his mouth as he realised, again, that he had said too much.


	14. What did you have to go and do that for?

As November bled into December the comings of Christmas began. The snow trickled down from the sky, coating them in small snowflakes as it lay like a thick white blanket on the ground. The Black Lake had frozen over and Fred and George received detention for bewitching snowballs to chase after poor Professor Quirrell.  
No one was more excited for the holidays to start than Bella. She had always loved Christmas but this year seem so much better as she would be staying at Hogwarts with her brothers as her parents were headed to Romania to visit Charlie. Her friends were all staying at the castle too and this made Bella even happier.  
Draco Malfoy had been suspiciously quiet the past few weeks and Bella was concerned, she realised she had spoken too soon as their last potions lesson of the term rolled around and he opened his big mouth.  
"I really do feel sorry for those who have to stay at school over Christmas." He drawled to his friends before turning his smirk on Harry. "Obviously they aren't wanted at home."  
His comment ignited snickers among the Slytherins and Bella seethed. Walking past his desk on the way to her own she kicked him in the shin, hard. He winced and rubbed at his shin.  
"What was that for?" He growled.  
"You know what. Stop being a prat." Bella scowled at him before tossing her hair over her shoulder and taking her seat beside a smirking Harry.  
Throughout the remainder of the class Draco sent glares over his shoulder at Bella but she was too wrapped up in the happy thoughts of the coming Christmas to pay him any mind; to which made him even angrier. When the bell rang signalling the end of their classes for the term Bella threw her things haphazardly into her bag and departed the dingy classroom, brother and friends in tow. A large fir tree blocked the corridor and the heaving puffs of breath behind it told the group Hagrid was the one transporting it.  
"Hey Hagrid, do you need any help?" Bella asked.  
"Nah thanks Bella, I'll be alright." Came Hagrid's voice from somewhere within the tree.  
Bella heard a cold laugh behind her and didn't need to turn her head to realise who it came from.  
"Sod off Malfoy." She grumbled.  
"Don't tell me... you want to be game keeper when you leave, is that it?" He drawled.  
Bella turned to face the arrogant boy, her fingers gripping her wand tightly in her pocked.  
"I. said. sod. off." Bella enunciated every word.  
"Make me." Draco smirked as fire danced in Bella's eyes.  
The small girl launched herself at Draco's larger frame and tackled him to the ground, a yelp of fright spewing from his mouth. As soon as their bodies hit the floor Bella began to pound him with her fist on whichever part of his body she could reach.  
"Ow. Stop it. GET HER OFF ME."  
"WEASLEY"  
Bella tore her eyes from Draco trembling beneath her to Professor Snape striding up the corridor towards her, more furious than she had ever seen him.  
Ron and Harry hauled Bella off a battered and bruised Draco Malfoy. Bella was panting for breath, hair standing on end while Draco struggled to haul himself to his feet.  
"Nothing gives a student the right to assault another student." Snape spat, levelling a glare at the young girl.  
"It's not Bella's fault Professor Snape!" Hagrid explained, emerging from behind the large tree. "She was provoked."  
"As I said Hagrid." Snape turned his face towards the half-giant before turning back to Bella with a scowl. "Nothing gives a student the right to assault another student."  
"Detention. 7pm. My classroom. Do not be late, Miss Weasley." He drawled.  
The potions professor grabbed Draco's upper arm and dragged him off down the corridor, his protests ringing in their ears.  
"What did you go and do that for?" Ron asked.  
"Someone needed to give him a good smack." Satisfied smirk plastered on her face, Bella grabbed her bag from where she'd dropped it on the floor and made her way up the dungeon steps, leaving six bewildered faces staring after her.

"You really shouldn't have done that." Hermione scolded Bella as they ate their dinner, her detention creeping ever so slowly closer.  
"Why shouldn't I?" She questioned, turning her gaze to Hermione.  
Hermione became flustered at the question and fumbled for a response.  
"Well, you have detention for a start." Harry piped up.  
"And he will one hundred present tell Lucius." Ron added.  
"He'll make your life hell." Freya said.  
"He's unbearable enough as it is." Emily retorted.  
"And you know he won't let it go." Hermione chided.  
"Big scary Malfoy was battered by a _girl_ who is _half his height._ Personally I don't think he'll be telling anyone." Bella shoved a chip in her mouth at her statement, a neutral expression on her face.  
Hermione huffed and rolled her eyes as Harry chuckled and Ron turned his head toward the Slytherin.  
"No one is glaring at you so that's a good sign." Ron mused, turning back to his plate.  
Taking a glance at the Slytherin table she seen that Ron was indeed right, no one was glaring at her. In fact, the only person looking at her seemed to be the boy himself, and he didn't appear to be glaring. He was looking at her with what could only be called a look of curiosity, as if she were some hard puzzle he was trying to solve. Realising she'd been staring Bella quickly averted her eyes back to her dinner when another two figures plopped down on the bench beside her.  
"What's this I hear about you getting detention with Snape tonight." Seamus asked, gently nudging her arm with his shoulder.  
"I attacked Malfoy." Bella replied, smirking at the look of shock on Seamus' face.  
"You what?" Dean asked from Seamus' side.  
"You heard right ickle firsties." Fred called from further down the table.  
"Our baby sister here gave Malfoy a right seeing to." George grinned.  
"It's not funny!" Hermione scolded, though it fell on deaf ears.  
"You really hit him?" Seamus asked, glancing down at her with an expression of awe on his face.  
Bella nodded, a sheepish grin plastered on her face.  
Seamus let out a roar of laughter that drew the attention of those around him while Dean chuckled at his side. When his laughter subsided he wiped tears from his eyes and slung his arm around Bella's shoulders.  
"You are amazing."  
Bella blushed and stuttered a thanks. Checking the time she noticed she had ten minutes until her detention was supposed to start.  
"I suppose I better go and face Snape." Bella stood from the table, dropping Seamus' arm from where it still drooped over her shoulder.  
"I'll walk you."  
Seamus climbed over the bench, standing in front of Bella.  
"Y-You don't have to." Bella stammered.  
"I know. I want to." Seamus grabbed an apple from the table and chomped a bite out of it. He then saluted with two fingers to the remaining first years. As he turned to leave the hall he took Bella's hand in his and laced their fingers. Bella turned her head looking to her friends for support, blush creeping madly up her cheeks. The girls only smiled and gave her a thumbs up as Ron fumed in his seat and Harry openly chortled at her with Dean.  
Fingers still laced the pair ambled through the Entrance Hall and down the dungeon steps. When Seamus had finished munching on his apple he shoved the core in his pocket and turned to grin at Bella.  
"I still can't believe you really attacked Malfoy."  
"I know. Someone had to smack him though, he deserved it."  
"Too right he did."  
The pair stopped outside Professor Snape's classroom and Seamus whirled Bella around to stand in front of him and grasped her other hand in his. She looked up at him and saw he was smiling shyly down at her. He inched slowly closer to her, hands still grasped in his, and Bella's cheeks burned.  
"I've wanted to do this for ages." He whispered to her as he closed the gap between them and placed a soft, chaste kiss on her lips.  
It was over before it could really begin and Seamus pulled back with a sheepish grin on his lips. He released one of her hands and reached up to scratch the back of his neck.  
"Thought I'd give you something to think about in detention." He laughed.  
"Thanks for the distraction." Bella laughed back.  
He dropped her other hand and inclined his head towards the door. He took a few steps backwards, eyes still glued to hers. "I'll wait for you in the common room." He called before turning and taking the few steps out of the dungeons.  
Bella raised her fingers to her lips and softly ran her finger over her lip. Where Seamus' lips had just been.  
Bella was too baffled by the events that had just occurred to notice the pair of eyes watching her every move from further down the corridor as she raised her hand and knocked on the professor's door.  
Draco couldn't believe what he'd just seen. She had just kissed that disgusting half-breed Finnegan. Yes, she was a 'blood-traitor' but she was still a Pureblood for Merlin's sake! Draco didn't know why he cared, the same girl had just knocked lumps out of him in the same corridor not four hours earlier. Draco seethed as he stomped back to his common room. He didn't know why he cared so much about what Bella Weasley did, but that was just it. He cared too much and it would only get him into trouble.


	15. Christmas in the castle

Bella was happy to see Seamus kept his word and was indeed waiting for her in the common room after her detention. She told him about the lines she had to write; _'I will not assault other students'._ And Seamus promised to blow up his cauldron on the first day back. Once in her dormitory Bella told her friends all about her short kiss with Seamus and Hermione squealed so loud Bella thought the boys might hear her. In the days that followed Freya and Emily tried with all their mite to make sure Bella and Seamus were always together. Bella saw right through them and Seamus believed the entire thing to be comical. When Ron found out about the kiss he was determined to hex Seamus' head off until Harry, rather reluctantly, helped him see reason. Fred and George took every opportunity to mock Bella and again, Seamus found this to be rather comical.  
When Christmas morning finally came Bella was out of bed before everyone else for a change. She shook her friends awake and they crept quietly into the boys dorm.  
"Freya, you get Neville. Hermione, Ron. Emily, Harry. And I'll get Seamus." Bella whispered before slowly pushing the boys dormitory door open. It creaked and Bella winced as she took a small step back. The sound of the boys snores drifted lazily from the room and the intruders shared a grin as they inched further into the room. Bella drew back the hangings of Seamus' bed slowly as the others did the same. Bella counted down from three on her fingers and when she reached one they sprung onto their unsuspecting victims. Groans echoed around the room as the boys fumbled to release themselves from the confines of their blankets.  
"What's happening." Came Seamus' groggy voice from under the blankets and Bella let out a laugh as she pulled the blanket off his face, revealing his confused, sleepy face.  
"This was your idea wasn't it." Ron's voice came from the other side of the room and Bella turned her head to look at him.  
"Well yeah, it's Christmas!" Bella exclaimed.  
"Well what we all still lying about for then?" Seamus laughed below her and she grinned at him before hopping off the bed.  
"Well, come on then!" Bella called over her shoulder as she left the dorm.  
The common room was littered with presents as the students who were staying for Christmas tore into their gifts, throwing the paper everywhere. Bella ripped into her presents with great enthusiasm and was shocked at what she received; her usual green and purple Weasley sweater with a huge tub of fudge from her parents, a box of chocolate frogs from Ron, perfume from Emily, a muggle book from Freya, some muggle sweets from Hermione and a huge bag of dungbombs from the twins.  
"Hey, this one's got your name on it." Fred called from the sofa, chucking a small box in Bella's direction.  
Once grasped in her hand Bella saw the small name tag had her name written in an elegant flow. Looking at her friends with confusion written on her face she pulled open the lid and gasped. A beautiful emerald green necklace was encased within the box.  
"Who is it from?" Emily asked, looking over her shoulder at the small box grasped tightly in her hand.  
"It doesn't say." Bella breathed as she looked again at the necklace sat before her.  
Hermione turned her head towards Seamus and he shook his head. The necklace hadn't come from him, so who had it come from? The necklace was immediately forgotten as Seamus called her name and she lifted her head as he thrust his arm in her direction, a gift in his hand; she took it from him with a shaky hand.  
"You didn't have to get me anything Sea." She smiled.  
"I know. But I wanted to."  
With all eyes on her Bella pulled off the wrapping paper and grinned from ear to ear when she saw the gift inside.  
""What is it?" Freya asked excitedly.  
"A blanket." Bella smiled as she pulled it from the wrappings, spreading it out before her.  
"You're always cold so now you won't be." Seamus announced proudly. "I charmed it so it's always warm."  
Bella quirked an eyebrow at him while she held the blanket at arms length, eyeing it suspiciously  
"Well, I didn't charm it, me mam did."  
Bella threw her arms around his neck spouting 'Thank you' every few seconds. Seamus laughed as he held her in his arms. They pulled back and Bella felt all eyes on her as she cleared her throat and pulled all her gifts into her arms. Without a word she escaped the common room for her dormitory and dropped her gifts on the bed. The girls followed after her and put their gifts away before sitting on the bed across from Bella. She lifted her head and found three pairs of expectant eyes staring back at her.  
"What?" She asked innocently.  
"That was the cutest thing ever." Hermione squealed.  
"What was?" Bella asked again.  
"That." Hermione explained, pointing to the door of the dormitory.  
"Seamus bought you a _blanket_." Freya added  
"Not only that but he got his _mum_ to charm it for you." Emily said.  
"I suppose it was sweet. I just feel bad I haven't gotten him anything." Bella smiled sadly.  
"Don't worry about that, you'll just have to give him a big kiss later." Freya laughed.

* * *

Christmas day passed quite pleasantly for Bella. She had expected to miss her parents and Ginny but they had been the furthest thing from her mind as she joked around with her friends and ate her body weight in delicious food at the Christmas feast.  
Exhausted and stuffed full beyond anything she had ever felt before Bella curled up on the sofa in front of the fireplace wrapped in her blanket, smiling softly to herself as she listened to Ron and Hermione bickering. Her smile widened as Seamus plopped himself down on the sofa next to her.  
"Have you had a nice Christmas?" He asked her.  
"It's been nice." She sighed.  
He chuckled as she stifled a yawn, her tired eyes drooping.  
"Why don't you go up to bed if you're tired." He urged.  
"Because I don't want this day to end."  
Seamus didn't get a chance to retort before he felt a soft weight hit his shoulder and he turned his head slightly to see Bella's head resting there, having fallen into a sound sleep. He smiled to himself as he pulled the blanket tighter around her and placed a soft kiss to her forehead.  
Bella felt a hard surface under her head and opened her eyes groggily to realise she had fallen asleep in the common room, on Seamus' shoulder. She turned towards his face and found his eyes on her.  
"What happened?" She asked, rubbing her eyes.  
"You fell asleep and you looked comfortable, I didn't want to disturb you."  
"You didn't have to wait down here with me." She smiled shyly.  
"Its' alright." He smiled back at her.  
She pulled herself into a sitting position, letting out a yawn. She pulled the blanket from around her legs and bundled it under her arm, pushing herself to her feet.  
"Thank you for staying with me." She turned her head to him and offered him her hand, helping him to his feet.  
"Anytime."  
The pair bid goodnight at the top of the staircase with a lingering hug before retreating to their respective beds. Tiptoeing as to not wake her roommates Bella moved her presents from the foot of her bed to the floor. She pulled her pyjamas on swiftly and climbed into bed, her foot colliding with something sharp. She reached her hand into the duvet at her feet and her fingers collided with the jewellery box that had riddled her brain with confusion earlier that morning.  
She pulled the box to her, opening it once more to stare at the necklace that lay within. There was nothing on the box or concealed within to give her the faintest clue who had gifted it to her. The necklace itself screamed wealth and Bella knew no one with a vast amount of wealth who may want to gift the necklace to her.  
Closing the box with a soft click she placed it on her nightstand before shuffling further down the bed, wrapping herself in her duvet. She fell into a deep sleep that night, dreaming of beautiful emerald necklaces and sandy-haired Irish boys.


	16. The Philosopher's what?

From the moment Bella opened her eyes the following day she was bombarded with questions about her sleeping arrangements with Seamus the previous night. She told her friends about how she had woken up with her head on his shoulder and about the hug before bed and they didn't try to hide their disappointment when they learned she hadn't shared a kiss with him. Although Bella couldn't wipe the smile off her face if she tried, her thoughts were still occupied by the emerald necklace buried deep in her side table.  
The holiday season ended sooner than anyone hoped for and Bella's day was made when in their first potions lesson of the term Seamus, true to his word, blew up his cauldron, showering himself and Snape in the foulest substance Bella had ever smelt. He sent a wink her way as Snape roared at him over the sound of the snickers of the rest of the class. He earned himself a detention as he began to chuckle along with the others, much to Bella's dismay.  
Hermione was more than frustrated that they hadn't found anymore information to tell them who Nicholas Flamel was or give them any hint as to what could be hidden in the school.  
"Hermione we've looked everywhere." Ron whined, dropping his head onto the table top.  
After the bell had gone, signalling the end of their first day back, Hermione had all but dragged them to the library.  
"He's got to be here somewhere." Hermione flipped the pages of the book she was reading with such ferocity that Madam Pince, the scary librarian, glared at her from over the rim of her glasses.  
"I swear I've read his name somewhere but I've never read any of these books before, he won't be here." Harry pointed out.  
"Chocolate frog anyone?" Emily asked, pulling a stash from her bag.  
Ron swiftly lifted his head from the table and his eyes shone with glee as he took the offered chocolate frog. He ripped into the wrapping, shoving the entire chocolate frog into his mouth in one go.  
"You're a pig Ronald Weasley." Bella scolded as Harry took the collectable card from the wrapping.  
"I KNEW IT!" Harry cried loudly, jumping from his seat.  
"SHH!" Madam Pince hissed over at him and Harry quickly took his seat again.  
"What is it Harry?" Freya asked.  
"I knew I'd read his name before, it's on the back of Dumbledore's card. Listen to this." Harry cleared his throat before speaking again. "'Professor Dumbledore is particularly famous for his defeat of the dark wizard Grindelwald in 1945, for the discovery of the twelve uses of dragon's blood and his work on alchemy with his partner, Nicholas Flamel.' !"  
Hermione squealed, bouncing in her seat. All eyes turned to her as her eyes lit up.  
"I know what book to look in! I have it in my dormitory." She spoke excitedly.  
"You mean to tell me you've had the book we needed this whole time!" Ron groaned but Hermione paid him no mind.  
"Well you'll just have to tell me about it later." Harry got to his feet as he spoke, slinging his bag over his shoulder. "Quidditch practise."  
The group slowly trickled from the library leaving Bella alone to read her book. She found the library to be a calming place to read, free from distraction, or so she thought. She hadn't been alone for long before a figure slid into the seat across from her. She tore her eyes from her book and lazily glanced up to see who had disturbed her.  
"What do you want?" She asked, eyes drifting back to the book in her lap.  
Draco smirked as he eyed her.  
"I know you told Finnegan to blow up that cauldron today." He stated matter-of-factly.  
"I don't know what you're talking about." She retorted, eyes never leaving her book.  
"Because Snape gave you a detention before Christmas."  
"I still don't know what you're talking about Malfoy." She replied, flicking the page over lazily.  
"Your little boyfriend going to fight your battles from now on?" He drawled.  
Bella finally tore her eyes away from her book, grinning slyly at him.  
"If you're worried about getting another beating I wouldn't, I would hope you've learnt your lesson by now."  
Draco stiffened and fear flashed in his eyes before he quickly schooled his features.  
"I don't know what you're talking about." He spat.  
"What's wrong Draco, not want anyone to know that big bad Draco Malfoy was beaten by a girl? Would it bruise your ego?" She knew the use of his given name would rile him and it had the desired effect.  
"I wasn't beaten by a girl!" He raged.  
"Tell that to the black eye you were sporting before Snape fixed you up." She laughed, shoving her book into her bag and rising from the table.  
Draco grabbed her wrist, halting her movements. She looked from his hand clasped tightly around her wrist to his face and tried to wrench her arm from his grip, to no avail.  
"I won't have my reputation ruined by some silly little blood-traitor." He seethed.  
"You do that all by yourself, you don't need my help." Bella spat as she wrenched her arm from his grip violently, causing him to stumble forward.  
She shot a venomous glare at him and she turned on her heel and stalked out of the library seething. Just who did he think he was! Stuck up, pompous, arrogant ass!  
Bella crashed into a solid barricade and went tumbling to the floor with a yelp. Before she could hit the floor a hand dipped under her back and pulled her flush against the barricade she had walked into seconds before.  
"Are you okay?" A deep voice asked above her and she took a step back, looking up at who she had collided with.  
"Y-Yeah I'm fine." She breathed. "I'm sorry."  
"It's alright." He laughed.  
The boy she was standing in front of was at least a head and a half taller then she was and obviously an older student. She had seen his face before but couldn't quite place him. His Hufflepuff robes stood out in the dimming light of the corridor and his dark hair complimented his grey eyes.  
"I'm Cedric." He said, smiling down at her.  
"Bella." She replied.  
"You're Fred and George's little sister aren't you?" He asked.  
"Yeah I am."  
"Nice to meet you." He smiled.  
"You too." She smiled back. "And you know, thanks for catching me."  
"No bother. Just try and watch where you're going next time, I might not be there to catch you again." He laughed.  
Bella laughed awkwardly as she lifted her bag from where it had fallen on the ground.  
"I'll see you around, tiny." He chuckled as he stepped around her and strode down the corridor.  
Bella watched him walk away and regained movement in her legs as he turned the corner. She walked quickly down the corridor and bumper into Freya, Emily and Hermione all heading for dinner.  
"Are you okay?" Emily asked her.  
"Yeah I'm fine." Bella replied, linking her arm through Emily's as they took the stairs to the ground floor.  
She didn't know why she didn't tell her friends about her strange interaction with Cedric but she thought it better if she kept it to herself, for now at least.

* * *

"He's the only known maker of the Philosopher's Stone!"  
The group were huddled in a secluded corner of the common room. Hermione had the book from her dorm spread out over her legs as she read. Looking around at the confused faces she sighed and continued to read.  
"The ancient study of alchemy is concerned with making the Philosopher's Stone, a legendary substance with astonishing powers. The stone will transform any metal into pure gold. It also produces the Elixir of Life, which will make the drinker immortal. The only stone currently in existence belongs to Mr Nicholas Flamel, the noted alchemist."  
"So that's what Fluffy's guarding then?" Bella asked.  
"Must be." Ron replied.  
"Dumbledore'll be keeping it safe because he's Flamel's friend and he didn't want anyone getting to it. I'll bet that's why it was taken from Gringotts." Hermione added.  
"It's no wonder Snape wants it, who wouldn't!" Freya retorted.  
"There's something else about Snape." Harry chimed in.  
"What is it?" Bella asked.  
"He's refereeing the Gryffindor Hufflepuff match."  
"HE'S WHAT!" Ron bellowed drawing stares from the other occupants of the common room.  
"Why would Snape want to referee a Quidditch match." Emily asked.  
"Another opportunity to try and kill Harry since he failed the first time." Ron snapped.  
"I don't know." Harry replied, glaring at Ron.  
"You can't play." Freya said.  
"I have to." Harry replied.  
"No Harry you can't!" Hermione said.  
"I don't have a choice. If I don't play Gryffindor can't play."  
Bella sat quietly listening to her friends bickering. Snape's sudden desire to be the Quidditch referee made the least bit of sense but he couldn't be trying to hurt Harry. He wouldn't, at least not in a stadium full of students and teachers. He wasn't as brazen. Or was he.


	17. A dragon in a wooden house?

The day of the dreaded match rolled around quicker than Bella could blink and she watched Harry at the breakfast table that morning with a heavy heart.  
"You need to eat something mate." Ron urged.  
"Even just a bit of toast." Hermione added.  
"To build up your strength." Freya said.  
"I'm not hungry." Harry grumbled, pushing his plate away from him.  
Harry stood dejectedly from his seat, muttering about a warm up as he trudged from the Great Hall.  
"Is he okay?" Seamus asked as he reached over Bella towards the butter dish.  
"I hope so." She replied.  
After a quiet breakfast the group made their way to the Quidditch pitch, Bella hanging back slightly to walk between Seamus and Dean.  
"That explains why he's been so quiet." Dean said.  
Bella had just finished explaining about Snape refereeing today's match and about how worried she was for Harry.  
"He'll be okay." Seamus assured her.  
Bella would worry about Harry until she saw with her own eyes that he was okay and her worry was squashed only a little when she settled herself in the stands and spotted him doing laps of the pitch.  
"You didn't bring your blanket with you." Dean commented.  
"I love my blanket but I thought I would look just a little bit stupid if I brought it with me." She replied.  
"It's alright, I've got my coat with me." Seamus laughed.  
"It was cosy last time I'll give you that." She laughed back, turning her eyes to the pitch as the voice of Lee Jordan boomed through the stadium.  
While she had tuned out Ron's grumbling from further down the bench she couldn't mistake the wince of pain he let slip.  
"Didn't see you there Weasley." She heard Draco drawl from behind him.  
She rolled her eyes at his attempt to bait Ron and was pleasantly surprised when he didn't react, keeping his eyes trained firmly on Harry. She groaned when Draco advanced down the bench towards her.  
"Up for making a bet with me Weasley?" He asked just behind her.  
"I'm not up for doing anything with you." She mockingly drawled, keeping her eyes forward.  
"Come on, I know you could do to earn some gold." He laughed.  
Bella whipped around in her seat, her wand gripped tightly in her hand. The necklace around her neck caught his eye and his smirk was back in place.  
"Didn't know green was your colour." He commented nonchalantly  
Bella looked down to see what had caught his eye and hastily tucked the necklace back into her robes.  
"Shove off Malfoy." She growled, turning in her seat, pushing him hard as she went.  
Just as she turned around she heard Hermione yell Harry's name and watched as he took a spectacular dive towards the ground, gaining speed instead of slowing down. When Bella thought she was going to be peeling a splattered Harry from the pitch he pulled quickly up, the small Snitch clasped in his hand. The entire Gryffindor section erupted into screams of delight as Harry descended to the ground, only to be tackled in a hug by an emotional Oliver Wood.  
The happy atmosphere continued up to the common room. Fred and George had raided the kitchens and a party was now in full swing. The portrait swung open and Harry trudged in, looking distressed. He quickly made his way over to the assembled group and looked around for anyone who was listening.  
"What's wrong Harry?" Bella asked.  
"Come up to our dorm and I'll tell you."  
Quickly the group moved from the busy common to the silent boys dormitory. Harry paced the room, running his hands through his hair as his friends looked on from his bed in concern.  
"We were right." He finally spoke, ceasing his pacing to face them. "The Philosopher's Stone is what Fluffy is guarding."  
"How do you know?" Freya asked.  
"I heard Snape talking to Quirrell, he's trying to force Quirrell to tell him how to get past fluffy - he said something about 'hocus-pocus' - I think it's not just Fluffy guarding the stone. Other teachers will have put something, like spells and enchantments, and Snape wants Quirrell to tell him how to get past his."  
"So really, the only way the stone will be safe is if Quirrell stands up for himself?" Emily asked.  
"Well we may as well just hand it over right now." Ron huffed.  
"It'll be gone by next week." Hermione added.

* * *

Next week came and went and to their surprise, Quirrell didn't look as though he'd cracked; Bella made regular detours past the third floor to check Fluffy was still growling away inside.  
Hermione had other ideas and she spent the next few weeks berating them for their subpar studying.  
"Hermione the exams are ages away." Ron whined when she handed him a colour co-ordinated study timetable she made for him.  
"Ten weeks Ronald!" She snapped.  
Unfortunately, it seemed the teachers had the same idea and their workload doubled. They had so much extra work that Bella spent her Easter holiday in the library, a new piece of homework in front of her anytime someone looked her way. It was harder to concentrate however, with Hermione chanting her notes to herself and Ron grumbling that he would never remember everything they needed to know.  
"Why don't we go see Hagrid?" Harry asked after an intense morning spent studying.  
His question was met with enthusiasm as the group abandoned their work for the day and headed off to see the gamekeeper. When they knocked on his hut a little while later they were surprised when Hagrid didn't immediately open the door; he poked his head out after a minute or two and ushered them quickly in, slamming the door shut behind them. It was sweltering hot inside and Bella wiped at the stream of sweat making its way down her nose.  
"What's going on Hagrid?" Harry asked.  
His question was answered when there was a large cracking sound and all eyes turned to the large table in the middle of the room on top of which lay a giant egg. There was another loud cracking sound then an almighty shriek came from the egg before it split and a small gooey thing rolled out from it.  
Hagrid rushed over to the table and began fretting over the small being.  
"Hagrid, is that-" Hermione was cut off when the thing on the table burped and flames shot from it's mouth, singeing Hagrid's beard.  
"I know what that is!" Ron gasped as he pushed through towards the table.  
"It's a dragon." Bella commented.  
"A Norwegian Ridgeback." Ron added.  
Hagrid beamed teary-eyed at the small dragon who was trying to nip at his fingers.  
"He knows his mummy." Hagrid smiled.  
"Hagrid, you can't keep a dragon here." Emily commented.  
"And why not?" He asked outraged.  
"You live in a wooden house." Freya added.  
Their advice fell on deaf ears as Hagrid was too besotted with the dragon to notice they had even opened their mouths. They left him alone with the promise that they would return.  
"He can't possibly keep that dragon." Emily stated as they entered the castle.  
"He just can't." Freya added.  
"I'm going to write to Charlie, see if he can come and get him. It would be easier for Hagrid if Charlie took him." Bella said.  
"That's a good idea. Hopefully then we can convince Hagrid to let it go." Hermione said.  
Once in the common room Bella quickly penned a letter to Charlie and borrowed Hedwig to send it to him, hoping he would get it before anyone found out what Hagrid was keeping hidden in his hut.


	18. Nosy git

"Hagrid you can't keep him here!"

The group were huddled inside Hagrid's hut the following day, trying hard to make him see reason.  
"I've written to Charlie to see if his reserve can take him." Bella soothed.  
"But what if he don' like it in Romania?" Hagrid asked.  
"He will." Ron assured him. "He'll be with his own kind."  
Hagrid sniffed and wiped a tear that was streaming down his face as he spared a glance at the dragon sat on his bed.  
"I named him Norbert." He added.  
"Why?" Harry asked.  
"Well he's got to have a name don' he." Hagrid replied.  
Hagrid's face paled as he jumped from his seat and rushed over to the window, pressing his face against it.  
"What's wrong?" Emily asked as they all shoved over to the window.  
"There was someone there, they're running back up to the castle."  
Bella pushed the door opened and was unsurprised to see the shock of white hair bouncing in the wind; Malfoy. The first years all sent looks of fear around as Hagrid audibly gulped.  
"You'll have to send him to Charlie now Hagrid."

* * *

After trying to calm Hagrid down they managed to escape back to the castle for lunch. Bella hoped Charlie would reply soon, Malfoy knowing about Norbert was the last thing they needed. Hedwig was waiting for Harry at the Gryffindor table, a letter tied to her leg. Harry took the letter and handed it to Bella who unfurled it, Ron hanging over her shoulder.  
 _Dear Bella,  
How are you? How is Ron? How has your first year been? It was nice to hear from you - we'd be happy to take the Norwegian Ridgeback but there will have to be some work on your part. We have some workers returning to Romania so it would be easier to send him over with them. I need you to get him to the top of the tallest tower on Saturday at midnight and they'll take him from there while it's still dark as they cannot be seen carrying an illegal dragon.  
Send me a reply as soon as you can.  
Love,  
Charlie_  
Perfect timing thought Bella. They only had to wait two days and they would be rid of Norbert, and Malfoy would be none the wiser. She folded the letter and stuffed it into her textbook to keep it safe.  
"We can use your cloak." Ron said to Harry.  
"What cloak?" Bella asked.  
"I got an Invisibility cloak for Christmas, it was my dads." Harry said.  
"You kept that quiet didn't you." Freya laughed.  
"The cloak should be big enough to cover two of us and Norbert." Harry added.  
"I'll go with you." Bella replied.  
With that sorted all they needed to do now was tell Hagrid of the plan. After lunch Harry and Ron headed down to tell Hagrid of the plan while Bella traipsed to the library, head in the clouds as she thought about everything that had happened so far. She settled herself in her usual seat and pulled out her books, propping one open in front of her while pulling out her homework. She had barely put quill to parchment before she was interrupted. She groaned audibly as she lifted her eyes to look at the smug face of Draco Malfoy  
"Anyone would think you were obsessed with me." Bella commented, turning her nose up at him as she looked back down to her homework.  
"As if." Draco scoffed.  
"Well kindly tell me what you're after then piss off, I'm busy."  
"I just like to get you annoyed."  
She rolled her eyes as he chuckled. There was a silence as Bella scribbled on her parchment and she quirked an eyebrow at him. Before she could say a word a familiar figure approached.  
"Hey tiny, is he giving you grief?"  
Cedric leaned against the table and crossed his arms, his back to Draco as he smiled down at her.  
"No it's okay Cedric." She smiled at him before turning to glare at Draco. "He was just leaving."  
Grumbling to himself Draco stood to his feet and glared at Cedric, turning on his heel.  
"Thanks." Bella smiled  
"No bother, if he causes you any more hassle you let me know." Cedric puffed out his chest as he spoke.  
Bella laughed while Cedric chuckled.  
"I'll see you later." He added as he smiled at her then strode out of the library.  
Bella could no longer concentrate so she packed up her stuff and slung her bag over her shoulder, heading to the common room. She wandered the corridors thinking only one thing; Saturday couldn't come quick enough.

* * *

Harry and Ron told the girls at dinner that night that Hagrid had sobbed loudly when he found out about Norbert leaving. When they left he was snuggled in the large arm chair with Norbert, singing him a lullaby while Norbert tried to nip his nose. Bella felt sorry for Hagrid but she was more concerned about what she and Harry would have to do come Saturday night.  
After dinner Bella tried to get some more homework done in the common room. This time she was joined by Hermione, Emily and Freya while Harry and Ron played an intense game of Wizard's Chess a few paces from them. Her textbooks were scattered around the table and she reached for the one she had stuffed the letter in; her potions textbook. Only when she looked at the books on the table she realised it wasn't there.  
She took in the titles of the books she was looking at and still couldn't find the textbook she was looking for. Rummaging around her bag frantically turned up no results either. Her heart rate began to rise as she began to panic.  
"What's going on?" Hermione asked.  
"The letter." Bella breathed, shuffling once again through her textbooks. "It's gone."  
"What do you mean gone?" Emily asked.  
"I mean it's not here."  
Bella stood from her chair and bent down to check the floor.  
"What's wrong?" Ron called over.  
"Charlie's letter is missing." Freya answered.  
"Malfoy." Bella growled  
How could she have been so stupid? Draco already knew about Norbert and now he knew he was being transported on Saturday. The little slime ball. It was too late now to change the plans, Bella and Harry would just have to take the risk, although they did have the upper hand; they had Harry's cloak that Draco didn't know about.  
"What does he have to do with this?" Harry asked.  
"He came over and sat down at my table in the library earlier. My potions textbook was sitting on the table and he must have taken it."  
"Why did he sit with you?" Ron asked.  
"I don't know." Bella snapped, running her hands through her hair.  
"W-We can't change it now." She breathed.  
"Change what?" Hermione asked.  
"The plan! It's too late. We'll just have to take the risk." She stated, looking at Harry.  
He nodded his head as Bella tried to regulate her breathing. One more day and then this nightmare would all be over.

* * *

By eleven o'clock on Saturday night Bella and Harry wanted nothing more than for this to be over. Clad in their pyjamas the pair set off for Hagrid's, walking slowly to stay safely concealed under the Invisibility cloak. Hagrid was waiting for them outside, Norbert's cage sat at his feet. Hagrid was sniffling into his large pink handkerchief while Fang growled at the large cage.  
"He'll be okay." Bella soothed, patting his arm gently as they covered Norbert's cage and themselves with the cloak.  
After a struggle (they hadn't realised Norbert's cage would be so heavy) they were finally at the top of the tower, Charlie's friends already waiting for them. The wizards attached Norbert's cage securely between their brooms, wished the pair a goodnight and set off into the darkness. Harry and Bella stood watching until they were out of sight, sharing a satisfied smile that their plan had worked. Shame they spoke too soon.  
They were barely at the bottom of the staircase before a high laugh rang out around them.  
"Sneaking around at night. We are in trouble." Filch laughed mockingly, sneering at the pair.  
They followed silently after him not daring to look at each other. Their plan had gone without a hitch and they forgot the one thing they needed to get back to the common room safely; the invisibility cloak.  
Filch smiled evilly at them as he pushed open Professor McGonagall's office door and ushered them inside. The dull thud of the door closing behind them made Bella's heart sink, they were really in for it now. Bella noticed Draco standing at the desks in the front of the classroom and her blood boiled. She was pulled from her thoughts when McGonagall began to speak.  
"Nothing, and I mean nothing, gives a student the right to be out of bed. What do you have to say for yourselves?"  
"We're sorry Professor." Harry exclaimed.  
"Truly." Bella added.  
"As a result of your behaviour I will be taking fifty points each from Gryffindor." Bella's heart sank for the second time as she realised they had just lost one hundred points, ruining any victory the Quidditch team had made.  
"I will also be taking fifty points from Slytherin and the three of you will serve detention."  
"Excuse me Professor." Draco piped up and Bella internally smirked, she didn't feel as bad about the point loss now.  
"Don't say a word Mr Malfoy." McGonagall snapped, silencing his argument before he could voice it. "Back to bed."  
Bella didn't have to be told twice. She grabbed Harry's hand and pulled him from the classroom, ignoring Draco's existence. She would get her book back, but that was a fight for another day. They had caused enough trouble for Gryffindor that night and all Bella wanted to do was snuggle up in her warm cosy bed.


	19. It's all Malfoy's fault

Breakfast the next morning was hell. Gryffindor's began to notice the missing points and when they discovered who had lost them Bella and Harry were shunned. As Bella plopped down in her seat she locked eyes with Cedric and he gave her a small smile and a salute which she returned with a chuckle.  
"Who's that?" Freya asked, eyeing the older boy.  
"Cedric." Bella replied.  
"Cedric Diggory?" Emily asked excitedly.  
"Yeah?" Bella asked questioningly.  
"He's a _fourth year_ Bella!" She squealed.  
"Why were you smiling at a fourth year?" Hermione asked. "Why was the fourth year smiling at you?"  
"He has a name you know." Bella stated taking a bite of her toast.  
"That doesn't answer our questions." Freya replied.  
"Well, I ran into him the day classes started back, like literally ran right into his back." Bella chuckled as the girls gasped. "He caught me before I fell and he introduced himself and that was really it. Then the day I was in the library, the day Malfoy stole my textbook, he spoke to me again. Asked if Malfoy was giving me grief then told me to tell him if he was."  
Her friends all gaped at her as she spoke.  
"Why didn't you tell us?" Emily asked.  
"I don't know actually." Bella said.  
"Well we want to know everything from now on!" Hermione squealed.  
"What are you ladies gossiping about this morning?" Seamus asked as he dropped into the seat across from Bella.  
"Oh just about how gorgeous some of the boys at this school are." Emily commented.  
Bella choked on the piece of toast she had been eating while Seamus chuckled. While she was coughing McGonagall stepped up behind her and dropped a sheet of parchment atop her plate. Bella wheezed out a thank you as she examined the parchment; her detention summons.  
 _Meet Mr Filch in the Entrance Hall at midnight for your detention.  
Professor. _  
Bella could have strangled Malfoy. Just because he had to go and stick his big nose in other people's business now she was being punished for it. She did break the rules and she knew that but she still blamed Malfoy for it.  
"Is that about your detention?" Seamus asked.  
"Unfortunately." Bella replied, shoving the parchment into her pocket. Seamus sent her a sad smile as she grumbled about the injustice of it all.  
The rest of the day passed by in a blur and before she knew it, her and Harry were descending the steps in the Entrance Hall to meet Filch and, unfortunately, Malfoy. They traipsed out into the chilly night air and when Bella saw Hagrid up ahead she couldn't help but smile.  
"You might be smiling now lass, but you won't be when you hear where you're headed. You're off into the forest tonight." Filch said.  
"The forest!" Draco exclaimed.  
"That's what he said." Bella stated.  
"I know what he said." Draco snapped.  
"Hurry up now, come on, lots to do." Hagrid's voice called over their bickering.  
"I'll be back at dawn, if you last that long." Filch sneered cruelly as he stalked back to the castle, leaving a trembling Malfoy in his wake.  
"Scared, Draco?" Bella mocked quietly, Draco sneered at her before turning away.  
"What are we doing in the forest Hagrid?" Harry asked.  
"We're looking for a unicorn that's bin hurt. See that silver stuff there." Hagrid pointed to what looked like a puddle of silver paint just inside the forest. "That's it's blood. This one's only bin hurt a little. Found a dead one a few days ago."  
Bella paled at his words. If something in these woods was hurting and killing unicorns, what was to stop it turning its wrath on them.  
"Scared, Bella?" Draco mocked in her ear and she elbowed him in the ribs. He let out a soft grunt of pain as he held his injured ribs.  
"Bella, you'll come with me and Harry, you'll go with Malfoy." Hagrid directed.  
"I want Fang." Draco stated.  
"Fine. But he won't be much use to you." Hagrid replied as he handed Fang's leash to Draco.  
With an apologetic look back at Harry, Bella and Hagrid headed left into the dark forest. Bella was shivering, through fear or the cold she wasn't quite sure, thinking about what she wouldn't give to be snuggled up with Seamus and her blanket right now. They walked in silence for a few paces, seeing nothing out of the ordinary. This continued until they stopped dead in their tracks, an ear-piercing shriek getting closer behind them followed by a booming bark. Draco ran out from the thick trees and collapsed to his knees, trying to catch his breath.  
"What happened?" Hagrid questioned worriedly.  
"Found the unicorn... back there... dead... drinking blood." Draco panted as he struggled to catch his breath.  
"Stay here." Hagrid warned the pair as he set off in the direction Draco had come, taking Fang with him.  
Bella stood watching as Draco's breathing slowly returned to normal. He slumped down against a tree trunk and raised his knees to his chest. Bella crossed her arms over her chest and glared at the blond boy.  
"What now?!" He asked.  
"You just left him there! It could have been anything in those woods and you just left my best friend to die!" She fumed.  
"What did you expect me to do?" He asked exasperated.  
"Hmm I don't know." She raised her finger to her chin as if in thought. "Bring him with you!" She yelled at him as he put his head in his hands.  
"I'm sorry okay!" He yelled, throwing his hands in the air. "It freaked me out and I ran, happy now?"  
Bella could only stare as Draco ran his hands through his normally pristine hair and stood to his feet, dusting the dirt from his trousers. Something rustled the leaves on the trees behind them and the pair jumped in fright; Draco turned towards the sound, slowly edging himself in front of Bella. The trees rustled again and he took an instinctive step back which brought him flush with Bella but they didn't dare move. The crunch of the leaves on the ground was deafening in the darkness as the tension built around them. Draco reached his hand back and grasped Bella's behind him, she gasped quietly but didn't remove her hand from his, she was frozen in fear. The crunch came closer and they could see the faint outline of a man in the trees. Draco raised his wand but before a word could roll off his tongue the heavy footfalls of Hagrid could be heard and the man in the trees scampered away. Bella and Draco sprang apart just as Harry and Hagrid came into view.  
"Oh Harry, you're alright." Bella breathed as she hugged his middle.  
Harry wrapped his arms around her smaller frame tightly and she melted into his embrace, her worry dwindling.  
"Come on you lot, let's get you back to school."  
They pulled apart and followed quickly after Hagrid, Bella keeping as far away as she could from Draco. Hagrid walked them to the Entrance Hall and without a word Draco took off towards the dungeons. Bella watched him go, feeling more confused than she ever had in her life. He had protected her in the forest, and she didn't know how she felt about that.  
They bid Hagrid a good night and walked as fast as their tired legs would carry them to Gryffindor Tower. The Fat Lady had fallen asleep and was unamused at being awoken, glaring at the pair as they trudged into the common room.  
They bid good night at the top of the stairs and Bella creeped as quietly as she could into her dorm, careful not to wake the others. This had been the longest and most confusing day Bella had ever had and she couldn't have been happier to fall into a deep sleep as soon as her head hit the pillow.


	20. Why do bad things always happen to me?

The morning after their detention found the first years huddled in Harry and Ron's vacant dorm, Harry explaining what had happened the night before.  
"It's Voldemort who's been killing the unicorns. He needs the blood to survive until he gets his hands on the stone. That's why Snape wants it - Voldemort's waiting in the forest for him to get it - that's why he's so determined. If Voldemort gets the stone what's to stop him coming back and finishing what he started ten years ago." Harry was visibly shaken by what had happened the previous night and Bella's anger that Draco had left him alone only increased.  
"Harry, Voldemort has only ever been frightened of one wizard, Dumbledore. As long as he's around he won't hurt you, he can't." Hermione said in a soft voice.  
"Will you _stop_ saying the name." Ron hissed in fear.  
"She's right Harry." Bella added, ignoring Ron.  
"You're safe here."

* * *

Through all the trouble with the stone, Voldemort and her near attack in the woods, Bella still managed to sail through her exams. Some she found quite challenging, like Transfiguration, while others she aced, like Potions. It was with great glee that Bella dropped onto the grass beside the Black Lake having just finished her last exam. A sigh of content left her lips as she listened to Harry and Ron discussing Quidditch moves and Hermione, Freya and Emily arguing over the answers to their exams.  
Harry got to his feet abruptly, drawing the attention of his friends around him  
"What's wrong?" Ron asked.  
Harry didn't answer him as he took off in a sprint across the grounds. The remaining first years all shared a look before jumping to their feet, following after Harry. By the time they caught up to him he was erratically pounding on the door to Hagrid's hut.  
"Harry what are you doing?" Hermione panted.  
Hagrid pulled the door open just as Harry raised his fist to pound it against the door again, a startled look on his face.  
"What's the matter?" He asked.  
"Hagrid, the man who gave you Norbert, what did he look like?" Harry asked.  
Bella clicked almost immediately the reason for Harry's strange behaviour. If they were right in their suspicions then the stone was no longer safe.  
"I didn' really see his face, had a hood he kep' up." Hagrid replied.  
"What did you talk about? Hogwarts?" Harry asked.  
"I told him I've worked with different creatures before... he asked what kinds so I told him about Fluffy and I said after Fluffy, a dragon's gonna be no bother." Hagrid laughed.  
Bella's heart sank as Harry turned to them, fear present in his eyes. If the others hadn't caught on before they sure would now.  
"Was he interested in Fluffy? Did he ask many questions?" Harry asked.  
"Blimey Harry, who wouldn' be interested in a three headed dog! But I told him, I said, the best way to tame a creature is to know how to calm it." Bella thought her stomach was going to come tumbling out of her mouth any moment now.  
"For Fluffy, all you need to do is play him some music and he falls straight to sleep." Hagrid smiled then a look of deep thought came over his face and his eyes widened as he realised what he had said.  
It was too late. The first years had already set off at a sprint back to the castle. Hagrid's calls of _'Where ye going?'_ rang behind them but they were too close to the castle to turn back. They raced through the corridors and threw the door to Professor McGonagall's office open with such force that the windows shook and the woman in question jumped in fright.  
"What is -"  
"We need to see Professor Dumbledore, right now!" Harry breathed, cutting her off.  
"I'm afraid you're too late. Professor Dumbledore had an urgent summons from the Ministry of Magic and has just departed for London."  
Bella was sure her stomach would make an appearance now. She sank into one of the chairs closest to Professor McGonagall's desk and held her head in her hands.  
"It's urgent!" Ron whined.  
"More urgent than the Ministry of Magic, Mr Weasley?"  
"It's about the Philosopher's Stone! Someone is going to steal it!" Harry nearly yelled.  
"I don't know who told you about the stone but it is in perfectly safe hands, now off you go, back outside."  
McGonagall ushered them from her office, closing the door on their protests.  
"It's no coincidence." Harry was saying as they made their way down the corridor. "Snape sent that summons to get Professor Dumbledore out of the castle. He's going to try and steal the stone while he's away."  
"Surely Dumbledore will come back when he realises the summons is false." Emily stated.  
"It'll be too late by then. That's why I need to go tonight." Harry urged.  
"Go? Go where?" Freya asked.  
"Down the trapdoor. I'm going to stop Snape."

* * *

No amount of convincing would change Harry's mind. Tonight would be the night they were going to take the stone, if Snape hadn't already gotten to it.  
"The cloak won't fit us all!" Harry fumed.  
"We'll make it work Harry!" Hermione fumed back.  
Harry was determined to do it all himself but no amount of arguing would change anyone's mind; they would go together or they wouldn't go at all. That lead the group of first years to be making their way to the third floor corridor at curfew later that night. Harry had been right of course, the cloak wouldn't conceal them all. Hermione, Ron, Harry and Emily were huddled under the cloak whilst Freya and Bella kept to the shadows. Ascending the staircases before they moved proved to be a challenge in itself but it was a challenge Bella wouldn't face. Before she could place even a toe on the staircase a hand clamped over her mouth and a strong arm circled her middle. Before she could comprehend what was happening she was dragged away from her friends, only able to watch as they became further and further away.  
Panic set in as she realised she was completely at the mercy of whoever was dragging her small frame along the corridor. She was much smaller in size and weight than her captor and she was helpless. Another hand reached into the pocket of her jacket and pulled out her wand and she realised she was well and truly screwed. There were two of them, she had no chance now. She heard a door click open further along the corridor and didn't know whether to be more frightened or relieved as she was shoved into the darkness. Instead of falling onto the sold ground however, she landed on top of a soft surface.  
"Geroff."  
She realised at once she had fallen onto a person and scrambled to her feet.  
"W-Who's there?" She called into the darkness.  
"Weasley?" The voice drawled and she knew she could place that voice anywhere.  
"Malfoy?"  
The tip of his wand lit up, showering the tiny space in light and visible dust particles.  
"What the hell is going on?" She asked him.  
"I could ask you the same question." He drawled, placing his wand atop a dusty shelf.  
"I was thrown in here not two minutes ago, how would I know what's happening." She growled.  
She turned on her heel and pulled at the door handle. It didn't budge. She turned to glare at Draco.  
"Well, open it then."  
With a roll of his eyes Draco grabbed his wand from the shelf and squeezed past her. With a flick of his wrist and a call of _'Alohomora'_ he pulled at the door handle and again, it didn't budge. Bella growled and dropped to the floor against the wall. Draco sat his lit wand back on the shelf and dropped to the floor on the wall opposite her.  
"I bet this was your idea." Bella growled.  
"My idea? You're joking right? I'm stuck in here the same as you." Draco laughed.  
"You've been trying to get me alone all year, why should I think now is any different?" She asked.  
"Don't flatter yourself." He replied.  
Bella rolled her eyes at him before dropping her head back against the stone wall. The pair sat in silence, not even sparing a glance at each other. This was not how Bella had expected her night to go and she could only hope the others were fairing better than she was. She hadn't been anywhere near him since their experience in the woods and that thought caused Bella to speak the first civil words between them.  
"What happened in the forest that night? Why did you do what you did?"  
Draco lifted his eyes to hers, taken aback by the forward question.  
"I don't know what you're talking about."  
"Oh come off it." She scoffed. "You stood in front of me when there was someone coming towards us and then you grabbed my hand. Why?"  
Draco sighed as he laid his head against the stone wall behind him.  
"I don't know why I did it. I just didn't want to see you hurt."  
Bella didn't know what she expected him to say but it certainly wasn't that. She gaped at him before she too sighed and laid her head back against the wall, closing her eyes.  
"I know you stole my potions textbook." She smirked, not opening her eyes.  
She could feel Draco's eyes on her but still didn't open her own.  
"I didn't steal your textbook."  
"You are a horrible liar Draco." She laughed. If he noticed her genuine use of his given name he didn't comment on it.  
"I am not." He laughed back.  
She sat up straighter against the wall, bringing her knees tight against her chest.  
"Why didn't you show McGonagall that letter? You had the proof that you were telling the truth, why didn't you use it."  
"Because it wasn't supposed to be you with Potter."  
Bella couldn't believe what she had just heard.  
"What do you mean?"  
"I mean that I had suspected your brother would be the one to take the dragon with Potter. If I'd known it was you I wouldn't have gone to her at all."  
Bella took a minute to process his words before speaking again.  
"You're so confusing you know that? One minute you're stuck-up, arrogant and full of yourself. The next you're laughing and joking with me and then you're saying things like that as if we're not supposed to hate each other."  
"Who said I hate you?" He asked, finally looking at her.  
"You act like you do."  
"I think if one of us hates the other it's you that hates me. Or are you forgetting the beating I got from you before Christmas?"  
"You were asking for it." Bella grumbled.  
"I know."  
Bella turned towards him to see him staring at the ceiling. The pair lapsed into another silence but this one was riddled with tension and unspoken words. Bella felt tiredness wash over her the longer she sat in the dimly lit cupboard with Draco. She stifled a yawn into the sleeve of her jacket.  
"If you're tired go to sleep. I don't want to deal with a cranky Bella." Draco commented, looking into her sleepy eyes.  
"And how do you suppose I do that?" Bella asked. "This cupboard is tiny."  
Draco sighed before pushing himself to his feet and shuffling around in the small space and sliding down the wall to sit beside her.  
"What are you doing?" She asked.  
"Well Bella, I have a shoulder and you need a pillow." He drawled.  
"I am not going to sleep on your shoulder." She said.  
"Well do you have any better ideas?" He asked.  
She looked around the small space and realised he was right. She lowered her head slowly to his shoulder and breathed in the scent of mint and parchment that lingered on his skin.  
"I won't bite you know." He whispered as she finally settled her head comfortably against his shoulder.  
She stiffened slightly but relaxed when she heard him chuckle beside her. She could feel her eyes drooping and the sleep she desperately needed overcame her.


	21. The perfect end to a not so perfect year

When Bella finally opened her eyes she froze when she heard the soft snores from Draco and felt the steady rise and fall of his shoulders under her head. Her hand brushed against something on the ground and she glanced down to see her wand lying beside her thigh. Whoever locked them in the night before must have thrown her wand in while she lay sleeping. She wouldn't complain, at least she had it back now.  
She slowly lifted her head from his shoulder and breathed a sigh of relief when he didn't stir. Rising to her feet she stretched her stiff muscles with difficulty in the tight space, dusting the dirt and dust from her clothes. Grasping her wand tightly in her hand she shuffled forwards and pointed it straight at the door handle. _'Alohomora'_ ; the door popped open with a soft click. Draco began to stir behind her and she turned to look over her shoulder at him.  
"What's going on?" He asked groggily, rubbing his eyes.  
"The door's open." She answered, inclining her head towards the door standing ajar.  
Draco pushed himself off the floor, brushing the dirt and dust from his trousers as he went. An awkwardness fell over the pair as they stood staring at each other, Bella feeling the cupboard getting tighter each second she remained. Without a word she fled from the space, putting as much space between her and Draco as was physically possible.  
She ran as fast as her feet would carry her to Gryffindor Tower and stumbled through the portrait hole, falling into someone as she went.  
"Hey, watch -"  
Bella realised it was Ron she had stumbled into and wrapped her arms tightly around his middle as he embraced her.  
"Where have you been?!" Hermione questioned.  
"Long story." Bella replied. "Where is Harry? What happened?"  
"Harry's okay." Freya answered.  
"He's out cold right now but Madame Pomfrey reckons he'll be okay." Emily added.  
"Oh I'm so glad you're all okay." Bella breathed, pulling herself out of Ron's arms to look at her friends smiling faces.  
"I'm just glad you're okay, mum would kill me if anything happened to you." Ron replied.  
"Seamus has been worried sick about you." Hermione commented.  
Bella followed Hermione's line of sight to see Seamus and Dean emerging from the staircase. Dean tapped Seamus' shoulder and pointed towards Bella; Seamus turned his head and his face split into a wide grin. Bella walked swiftly across the common room and Seamus wrapped her small frame in his embrace.  
"Are you okay?" He asked into her hair.  
"I'm okay." She replied.  
"What happened?" Seamus pulled his head back to look down at her as she did the same.  
"Come sit and I'll tell you everything."  
Bella pulled out of his embrace and took his hand in hers as she pulled him over to the sofas, dropping down into one and pulling Seamus down beside her. The other first years took the seats scattered around the fire and turned their expectant eyes on her.  
"So where were you?" Ron asked.  
"Locked in a cupboard on the other side of the seventh floor with Malfoy."  
"Malfoy?" Hermione questioned.  
"Malfoy." Bella answered with a nod of her head.  
"What's Malfoy got to do with it?" Ron asked angrily.  
"Well someone grabbed me on the staircase, took my wand and chucked me into a cupboard. I only realised anyone else was in there when I fell on top of him." Bella replied.  
The first years shared a look and Seamus' grip on her hand tightened ever so slightly.  
"What happened after that?" Emily asked.  
"We bickered about stuff most of the time and then I fell asleep." Bella answered.  
"You just fell asleep?" Seamus asked.  
"Yeah. That was it."  
She knew she couldn't tell them what had really happened in the cupboard; it felt wrong, as though she was betraying Draco in some way. She couldn't explain how but something had changed between them in that small confined space that night. Between protecting her from potential attack in the forest and letting her sleep on his shoulder, Bella knew something was going on in Draco's mind but she also knew she would never figure it out; she didn't know if she wanted to. She was supposed to hate him, he was supposed to hate her. But even at eleven years old she knew within herself that she couldn't hate him even when she and her family despised everything he and his family stood for, not now.

* * *

It had been exactly two weeks to the day since the incident with the Philosopher's Stone and Harry was now wide awake, just in time for the end of year feast. Everyone had discovered what had led Harry to land in the hospital wing and this made him anxious to leave the safety of the Hospital Wing, however with the encouragement of his friends he did.  
It was extravagant as every special feast was. Slytherin had won the house cup and the other houses were in a sombre mood, however that changed when Dumbledore awarded last minute points to Harry, Ron, Hermione, Emily and Freya, bringing Gryffindor into the lead by a strong mile. As expected the Slytherins were extremely put out. Bella had caught Draco's eye and the pair turned away quickly, embarrassment written all over their faces. Cedric had wished Bella a happy summer and Bella wished him one back as they parted ways in the Entrance Hall after the feast.  
The final night in Gryffindor Tower was a happy one as the Gryffindors all sat laughing and playing games all around the common room. Bella was sad to be leaving although she was excited to be seeing her family again.  
The following morning passed in a blur and before she knew it Bella was tucked away in a carriage of the Hogwarts Express, barrelling through the Scottish countryside on their way back to London.  
Bella sat snugly between Seamus and Dean, her head resting gently on Seamus shoulder as they spoke.  
"Can I talk to you outside for a second?" Seamus asked.  
"Yeah." Bella replied.  
They made their way from the packed carriage to a quieter part of the train where they could speak in peace. Bella noticed that Seamus appeared nervous, wringing his hands and looking everywhere other than at her.  
"Is everything okay Sea?" She asked.  
"Yeah." He replied.  
"What did you want to talk about?" She asked.  
"I-I just think you're pretty amazing and I want you to be my girlfriend."  
Bella gaped at him while he spoke. She couldn't believe this was actually happening. When she didn't immediately answer Seamus' face dropped but his smile returned when she wrapped her arms around his neck.  
"Of course." She squealed.  
With matching beaming smiles they made their way back to the carriage hand in hand. Everyone looked between their intertwined hands and their smiling faces but no one said a word as they took their seats again. After what felt like minutes the Hogwarts express pulled into Kings Cross Station and they all reconvened on the platform, bags in hand.  
"Write to me this summer and I'll see if mum will let you all come stay." Bella was saying to her friends as Ron wished Harry a goodbye.  
She pulled Harry into a hug and made him promise to write with an offer of staying at the Burrow soon as well. She wished Dean a happy summer before turning her attention on Seamus.  
"You'll write me this summer won't you?" He asked her.  
"Of course I will." She smiled.  
They shared a short hug before parting ways for their respective parents. She watched as he greeted his mother a little further down the platform and followed Ron to where their mother stood. Ginny launched herself at Bella as soon as she seen her and held her tightly.  
"I've missed you so much!" Ginny cried.  
"I've missed you too Gin." Bella replied.  
Bella ushered her crying sister back out of the gateway and into the station where her father was waiting by the car for them. Settled in the backseat between Ron and Ginny Bella thought back on her first year at Hogwarts and smiled.  
"Did you both have a good first year at school?" Molly asked.  
Bella sighed a happy sigh before she spoke.  
"It was amazing."


	22. Boys are so confusing

The first few weeks sleeping in her own bed felt strange to Bella. She had gotten too used to the luxury four poster beds she slept in whilst at school that she struggled to sleep most nights. She also missed the lavish feasts every night of the week; she loved her mums cooking but it just wasn't the same, not that she would ever admit that. Bella had received hundreds of letters from her friends but one in particular was missing, Harry's. No one had heard from Harry for weeks and they were all beginning to worry about him now.

Bella had yet another disturbed sleep as she tossed and turned all night, sleeping for only minutes at a time. She woke in the early hours of the morning just as the sun begin to rise. Bella was so tired that she didn't notice the absence of Ron in their shared bedroom as she trudged sleepily down the stairs.

"You best hope I don't put bars on your window Ronald Weasley!"

Her mothers shouts filled the house as she continued to berate Bella's brothers. Bella scrunched her nose in confusion, listening for any clue as to why her mother was yelling at this time in the morning. She shrugged to herself, taking the last few steps on the staircase leading to the kitchen. Bella didn't know what she expected to see but what she wasn't expecting was the black haired, green eyed boy she called her best friend.

"Harry!" She cried, rushing over to him and hugging his shoulders as he sat at the kitchen table.

"Hi Bella." He laughed, holding her arm over his chest with his hand.

"What are you doing here?" She asked as she pulled away.

"Um..." Harry uttered, too nervous to say anything else.

Bella glanced over her shoulder at her mother who continued to throw pots and pans into the sink with renowned fury. She turned back to the sheepish faces of her brothers as she slid into the seat beside Harry.

"What did you do?" Bella asked them.

"Flew that enchanted car your father has to Surrey!" Her mother cried before the boys had a chance.

"Seriously?" Bella asked, turning her eyes on her mother as she set a plate of eggs and toast on the table in front of her.

"We had to!" Ron cried.

A glare from Molly shut him up before he could speak another word and he turned back to his plate with a red face. Molly's face softened as she turned to pile more eggs onto Harry's plate.

"Of course I don't blame you Harry dear."

Bella ate her eggs in peace, trying to conceal the smirk on her face as she watched the boys at the table tried to avoid eye contact with their irate mother. Bella smiled when the front door was flung open and her father came bounding in. He smiled broadly at the all, taking his seat at the head of the table.

"Good morning Weasley's!" He beamed.

"Morning dad." The four Weasley children chorused back.

His eyes swept the table of children and his eyes stopped on Harry.

"Oh hello, who are you?" He asked.

"Dad, this is Harry." Bella answered for him.

"Holy cricket! Harry Potter?" Arthur asked him.

Harry nodded his head just as another figure popped into the kitchen.

"Oh Bella there you are!" Ginny cried from the door.

Bella turned to look at her younger sister and she gasped and scurried from the room without another word.

"That's Ginny." Ron commented as he shoved more eggs into his mouth.

"She's been talking about you all summer." George added.

"Fancies you, you know." Fred said offhandedly.

Harry blushed beetroot red while Bella scolded her brothers. Just then Molly rather forcefully pushed a plate of breakfast towards Arthur.

"Everything alright Molly dear?" He asked.

She turned her most venomous glare on him as she stopped in her tracks behind Harry's seat.

"No Arthur, everything is not alright. Your sons flew that car of yours to get Harry here in the middle of the night!"

The children rose from the table and sped up the stairs, knowing their father was going to feel the full extent of their mother's fury.

"Why didn't you take me with you?!" Bella scolded Ron once settled in their bedroom.

"You were sleeping. I didn't want to wake you!" He groaned.

"This was important Ron!"

"Please stop fighting." Harry spoke from where he stood by the window. "It's done now."

"I'm just glad you're here and safe." Bella breathed, giving him another hug.

* * *

Bella had informed their friends that Harry was now at their house for the remainder of the summer and they were all pleased to know he was safe. They made plans to meet in Diagon Alley to collect their supplies for the next school year today and Bella was pleased to hear that Seamus would be there too.

"She's been like that every time she gets a letter from him." Ron whispered to Harry.

"Shut up." Bella growled at him.

She and Seamus had been writing letters to each other over the summer and Bella couldn't wait to see him again. She had stored his letters in the drawer beside her bed and Ron took immense pleasure mocking her about them.

"You're just jealous that no one loves you." Bella smirked at him as his face turned red.

He grumbled under his breath, trudging from their room as Harry and Bella followed snickering behind him. Arthur handed them their cloaks when they reached the foot of the stairs and Molly handed them floo powder when they stopped in front of her.

"Mum, Harry's never traveled by floo powder before." Bella explained.

"Oh right, well Fred and George will go first to show you how it's done."

Fred stepped into the fireplace, dropped the floo powder with a yell of _'Diagon Alley!'_ and disappeared in a flash of green smoke. George did the same and Harry stood watching, a look of awe on his face.

"Now you must speak clearly. Watch the grates for Fred and George and then you'll know you have the right one." Molly explained to him.

Harry looked terrified as he stepped cautiously into the fireplace. He raised his arm and dropped the floo powder, _'D-Diagon Al-ley.'_ Harry spoke timidly as the smoke whirled around him and he disappeared. Bella's eyes widened as did Ron's when they realised Harry had spoken the wrong words.

"Mum he'll get lost!" Ron cried.

"It'll be okay, we'll find him." Arthur replied.

He whirled off through the fireplace and Ron and Bella joined him, their mother and Ginny bringing up the rear. Ron and Bella followed Fred and George through Diagon Alley searching frantically for Harry. Ron nudged her in the ribs and pointed ahead of them. She inched her had past George and noticed the large frame belonging to Hagrid and the smaller frame belonging to Harry following along beside him.

"Harry! Oh we've been so worried about you!" Bella cried, dusting the dust from his hair.

"Oh Hagrid!" They heard their mother cry behind them.

Bella continued to fuss over Harry while Ron chuckled at Harry's discomfort. After she ha thanked Hagrid profusely their mother led them up the steps outside Gringotts bank. Bella opted to wait outside on the steps as the Goblins scared her and she sat there watching as different people flitted around the alley, collecting their shopping.

She stiffened when she noticed the shock of white blond hair among the crowd that could only belong to Draco Malfoy. She hadn't seen or spoken to him since the night they were trapped in the cupboard last term. She still hadn't told anyone what had actually happened but how could she when she didn't understand it herself?

As she sat in thought she grasped the emerald necklace around her neck. She still had no idea who sent it to her. She had a faint idea but the notion was entirely ridiculous. Could Draco have sent it to her? As if her thoughts had summoned him the blond boy appeared at the bottom of the steps in front of her.

"Weasley." He drawled

"Malfoy." She mockingly drawled back.

"Why are you sitting out here?" He asked.

"My family are going to our vault and Harry's." She replied, motioning towards the bank behind her with her head.

The door to the bank opened as Draco opened his mouth and Bella could hear the boisterous voices of her family from inside.

"I'll see you at school." Draco said quickly before he scurried off into the crowd leaving Bella alone and confused.

She sat there baffled, staring after him while the rest of the Weasley's and Harry made their way down the steps.

"Are you okay?" Harry asked her, helping her up from where she still sat on the steps.

"I'm fine." She replied, not tearing her eyes from where she could still see Draco in the crowd.

Feeling her intense stare Draco turned his head and locked eyes with her. Bella couldn't shake the strange feeling she felt whenever she seen him but she didn't want to think too deeply into it. She would blame their encounter in the cupboard. It was all she could do to stop herself walking over there and demanding he tell her what was going on.


	23. Why do I bother?

Spending the day in Diagon Alley with her friends had been the best day of the summer for Bella. For the remainder of the day she put all thoughts of Draco Malfoy and his strange behaviours out of her head but they returned every time she was alone.  
Bella was annoyed to find out that Gilderoy Lockhart would be the new defense against the dark arts teacher this year at Hogwarts; Ginny, Hermione, Freya and Emily were thrilled. Bella, along with Ron and Harry, found him to be a very irritating man and they were beginning to dread the coming school year.  
As usual, the morning they would all return to Hogwarts was hectic. Bella was ready and sat eating breakfast while her brothers all rushed around like headless chickens, much to the annoyance of their mother. By five minutes until eleven the red-headed family were rushing through King's Cross Station, Harry and Ron bringing up the rear. Percy went first, followed by Fred and George. Bella followed quickly after them with only two minutes to spare. She bid a hasty goodbye to her mother and father as they arrived at her back with Ginny between them and rushed onto the train. She looked in the compartments for her friends and was happy to see them all sat together.  
"Hey Bella." Freya smiled as she noticed her in the doorway.  
"Hey guys." She smiled back, closing the compartment door behind her and taking the empty seat beside Seamus.  
"Where's Ron and Harry?" He asked, slinging his arm around her shoulders.  
"They should've been right behind me. They'll probably appear at some point." She replied.  
The train juddered and rolled slowly out of the station, the packed city disappearing into green fields and high mountains the further they travelled. The atmosphere in the compartment was light as they all shared stories of their summers. Bella smiled while they spoke but she couldn't help but worry about Harry and Ron. Why hadn't they appeared in the compartment yet?  
"I'm going to go and look for Harry and Ron." Bella stated as she stood from her seat.  
"Do you want me to come with you?" Seamus asked.  
"It's okay, I'm sure they'll be here somewhere." She smiled before closing the compartment door and setting off down the corridor.  
She searched every compartment she walked past, she was beginning to give up hope when she ran into Ginny and her friends.  
"Oh Ginny, have you seen Harry and Ron?"  
"Are they not with you?" The younger girl asked.  
"No. They haven't been since we left." Bella replied. "Can you come and let me know if you see them? I'm just a little further down the carriage."  
"Of course." Ginny replied.  
Bella set off back up the corridor to check the rest of the train but was stopped in her tracks when she bumped into something solid.  
"We've got to stop meeting like this." Draco laughed.  
She didn't respond with a cheeky retort as usual and this set Draco on edge.  
"What's wrong?" He asked.  
"Have you seen Harry and Ron?" She asked, ignoring his question.  
"No. Aren't they here?"  
"No." Bella replied, running a hand through her hair.  
"I hope they're not coming back this year." Draco commented.  
Bella slapped his chest hard and he gasped in surprise. Rubbing the sore spot he chuckled.  
"I was joking, god."  
"It's not funny." She retorted. "They could be anywhere!"  
"I'm sure they're fine." He replied.  
Before Bella could respond a high-pitched whine echoed down the corridor.  
"Drakey!" Pansy's shrill voice got higher the closer she got.  
"What?" He snapped as he turned over his shoulder.  
"You didn't come back to the compartment, I got worried." She crooned.  
"I'm fine." He responded, turning back to look at Bella.  
"Ew, what are you doing talking to that blood traitor?" Pansy asked as she set eyes on Bella.  
"I wasn't." He answered, turning away from Bella.  
She rolled her eyes and pushed through the pair, tuning out Pansy's rambling as she stomped back to her compartment, thoughts of Harry and Ron momentarily forgotten. She slammed the compartment door open and the inhabitants jumped in surprise.  
"What's wrong?" Seamus asked.  
"Malfoy's a cheeky git, what's new?" She replied, closing the door more gently this time.  
"Did you find Harry and Ron?" Hermione asked.  
"No, I'm sure they'll be fine though, mum and dad will have made sure they were okay." Bella responded.  
For the remainder of the journey Bella didn't say much. She sat snuggled into Seamus with his arm around her, her mind in a different place. She couldn't seem to get her meeting with Draco from her mind. He had spoken so friendly to her when he was alone but when Pansy arrived he pretended he hadn't ever spoken to her at all; she didn't know why but it bothered her immensely that he blew her off so easily. Here she was sat in the arms of her boyfriend while thinking about another boy, the boy she was supposed to hate, it made her feel like a horrible person. Why couldn't she get him off her mind? And since when had he meant anything more to her than just the arrogant, self-obsessed Malfoy?


	24. Who hired him?

"YOU DID WHAT?!"

"We flew here in dad's car."

Bella had finally found her brother and Harry and was now thoroughly berating them in the common room.

"Why, Ronald? Why would you do that?!" She screeched.

"The barrier closed. We couldn't get through!" Harry explained.

"Oh so you just decide to ILLEGALLY fly dads car?!"

"I'M NOT ARGUING WITH YOU!" Ron yelled, stomping up the stairs to the dormitory.

Bella sighed and took the seat Ron had just vacated.

"I'm sorry." Harry said timidly from beside her.

"No Harry, I'm sorry. I shouldn't have shouted." She smiled at him before following after Ron into the boys dorm.

Ron sat cross-legged on his bed, a pillow gripped in his arms as he cried into it. Bella took soft steps and sat down on the bed beside him, putting her arms around his shoulders and pulling him into her.

"I'm sorry." She whispered as he cried on her shoulder.

She rubbed circles on his back as she whispered soothing words to him. Shortly afterwards his cries subsided and he lifted his tear-stained face to look at her.

"I'm sorry." She whispered again.

"No I'm sorry, you were right." He wiped his face on his sleeve as he spoke.

"Did I just hear Ron Weasley admit I was right?" She asked, nudging his shoulder with hers and he laughed.

"Don't get used to it." He replied.

The pair chuckled and their conversation lulled as they both fell into their own thoughts.

"What happened?" Bella asked.

"The barrier closed and we couldn't get through. We knew we'd missed the train but I was worried that mum and dad wouldn't be able to get back through and we'd be stranded. I know it was a stupid idea but I thought we could fly the car here and get here on time with you guys but the engine died just as we got here and we crashed into the Whomping Willow. It attacked us! Went mental, and I broke my wand." Ron pulled his broken wand from his pocket and sighed. The tip was hanging on by a thread and the unicorn hair core was protruding from the end.

"I suppose you've been punished enough." Bella laughed.

Ron mockingly glared at her as she pulled him in for another hug. As she pulled back she caught his grinning face.

"What?"

"I can't help but feel proud I managed to fly that dinky old thing from London all the way here."

Bella laughed again, swatting his arm as he joined in on her giggles.

* * *

Giggles were the furthest thing from anyone's mind, least of all Ron's, when the mail arrived the following morning.

"Oh no." Bella whispered as a scarlet red envelop fell onto Ron's plate.

"What am I going to do?" Ron croaked nervously looking at his sister.

"What is it?" Harry asked.

His question needed no explanation as the envelope burst open and the yells of Molly Weasley erupted from within.

"HOW DARE YOU STEAL THAT CAR! WE HAVE NEVER BEEN MORE EMBARRASSED! I BET YOU DIDN'T STOP AND THINK HOW THIS WOULD AFFECT YOUR FATHER!"

Ron's face had gone bright red as he stared open-mouthed at the roaring letter.

"YOUR FATHER IS FACING AN INQUIRY AT WORK AND IT IS ENTIRELY YOUR FAULT! YOU AND HARRY COULD HAVE DIED FOR MERLIN'S SAKE! I'M VERY SURPRISED THEY HAVEN'T EXPELLED YOU! ONE MORE TOE OUT OF LINE RONALD WEASLEY AND I WILL BRING YOU STRAIGHT HOME!"

The letter gave a huff and disintegrated in a puff of smoke. Ron looked from the letter to Bella and back down at the letter. Hermione harrumphed beside Bella and this seemed to snap Ron from his state. He glared at her as she continued to read _'Gadding with Ghouls by Gilderoy Lockhart'_

"I'm not sure what you expected Ronald but -"

"Don't tell me that I deserved that." He seethed, pushing away from the table and stalking off out of the hall.

"I'm sorry about your dad Bella." Harry said sincerely while Bella glared at Hermione from the side of her eye.

"It's okay Harry." She smiled softly before turning to Hermione.

"What did you say that for?" She asked the girl.

"He broke the rules Bella. He needs to be punished." Hermione stated without looking up from her book.

"He's been punished enough thank you very much."

Bella left the table in much the same fashion as her brother as she went off looking for him. She found him pacing the defence corridor shaking with rage; before she could open her mouth he spoke.

"Who does she think she is?!" He yelled.

"Who?" Bella asked.

"Hermione! That was embarrassing enough without her starting on me." He made to punch the wall before Bella grabbed his arm and pulled it towards her.

"Don't."

"What else am I supposed to do? My wands broken!"

"If you're going to punch something, punch something worth punching."

"Like Malfoy."

Bella didn't feel the need to disagree with him there; if Ron wanted to punch Draco she would happily let him, he deserved it after how he treated her on the train. Bella nodded her head as Ron smirked. She handed him his bag and his timetable as the sounds from the Great Hall reached their ears.

"Have you calmed down?" Bella asked him as the first group of people rounded the corner.

"Yeah, I'm okay."

Bella spotted their friends coming up the corridor, a sheepish looking Hermione among them.

"I'm sorry Ron, Bella." She said as soon as she reached the twins.

Ron thought for a minute before speaking.

"Apology accepted." Ron said.

Bella didn't have time to respond as the door to the defence classroom was thrown open and Gilderoy Lockhart, dressed in magenta pink robes, strutted to the door way.

"In you come now, in you come."

Large portraits of the man flashing a beaming smile littered the walls of the large classroom and Bella sneered at them in disgust as she took her seat.

"Loves himself much?" She whispered to Ron and Harry eliciting snickers from the pair.

Bella dumped her bag on the table as she rested her head in her hands. Hermione, Freya and Emily occupied the desks in front of her alongside Lavender Brown and Parvati Patil. Harry and Ron sat on Bella's left side while Seamus and Dean sat on the right. Bella rolled her eyes as she felt something hit her shoulder and turned in her seat to see that Draco had chosen to sit in the seat behind her. She again rolled her eyes as he chuckled and turned back to the front of the classroom.

"Don't let him bother you." Seamus said as he glared at Draco.

"I won't" Bella replied at the same time Draco spoke up.

"Oh don't worry Finnegan, I won't be stealing your girlfriend anytime soon."

Bella tuned him out as he snickered with his friends, she also tuned out Lockhart as he spoke to the class. She only listened to what was being said as Seamus chortled beside her.

"Cornish Pixies?"

Lockhart held a cage full of small blue creatures. Their faces long and pointed and their voices shrill. Bella chuckled along with Seamus as Lockhart held the cage at arms length. She stopped when Lockhart reached for the latch to open the cage.

"Are you mad?" She questioned.

"I beg your pardon, Miss...?"

"Weasley."

"Weasley, right. Well, Miss Weasley, they shall not hurt you, I only intend to demonstrate how to deal with them."

"He's not for real is he?" Bella asked Ron.

Ron shrugged as Lockhart pulled open the latch dramatically and released the pixies from their confinement. Big mistake thought Bella. They flew in all directions causing absolute mayhem. People were diving under the desks to get away from them and Bella watched from under her own desk as two lifted poor Neville, from where he cowered on the ground, and dropped him onto the candelabra on the ceiling. He rocked back and forth a few times before falling to the ground.

"Not to worry!" Lockhart called over the rabble.

"Stupid, idiot teacher." She heard Draco grumbling from behind her.

"It's a pixie, it's not going to kill you." She retorted.

"Peskipiksi Pesternomi!" Lockhart cried in an attempt to stop the chaos.

He yelped in fright when one of the pixies grabbed his wand from his hand and tossed it out of the broken window. Scared and wand-less, Lockhart sped from the room into his personal chamber, leaving the class of twelve-year-olds to deal with the mess.

"If it won't hurt you then you deal with it." Draco growled.

"Fine." She huffed.

Bella stood from under her desk and brandished her wand;

"Imobulus!"

At once, the pixies fell to the ground and everyone stared stunned at her. The bell went, signally the end of their first hectic class. Most filed out of the classroom as quick as they could but Bella took her time collecting her bag and robes.

"That was amazing!" Seamus beamed.

""Incredible -"

"How did you do that?"

"You'd be a better professor than that twit."

"Guys it was a simple spell." Bella laughed.

Someone bumped into Bella's arm on the way down the corridor and the shock of white hair told her it was Draco.

"Watch it." He sneered.

"Piss off." She retorted.

He turned away and stalked off down the corridor as Bella grumbled about what a little git he was.

* * *

After their first day of classes Bella was extremely tired. Before heading to bed she took her time doing her nightly routine and when she was emptying her pockets on her robes she found a note that hadn't been there earlier in the day. Opening the note she decided the writing matched the writing on the necklace box at Christmas.

 _'Well done in Defence this morning'_

The note could have come from anyone but Bella knew exactly who sent her the note; Draco. It had to be. Something had been telling her since Christmas that the pendant had come from him but she didn't have any proof. Why would he ever send her a Christmas gift? And why would he congratulate her for something she did well? It wasn't like him at all. But neither was letting her sleep on his shoulder. She couldn't explain why but she knew it was Draco. What made it worse was that even though she knew she shouldn't, she wanted it to be him.


	25. Slugs, seriously?

The days following their first day back were hellish. They had expected to be broken in gently in regards to their school work but it seemed the teachers had other plans. Bella was more than displeased to learn that her potions partner for this term would be none other than Draco.

"You planned this didn't you?" She growled at him.

"Why would I do that?" He asked.

"I don't know, I just know you did."

She was glad when the weekend rolled around, she was in need of a couple of days free from Draco's annoying attitude and Seamus' and Ron's comments every potions class.

Harry was nowhere to be found at breakfast on Saturday morning and Ron informed Bella that he had been dragged to Quidditch practise early that morning by an over-enthusiastic Oliver Wood. They decided they would eat their breakfast watching the Quidditch team practise and so with pockets full of toast they set off towards the pitch.

"It's quite chilly." Bella moaned as she pulled her scarf snug around her.

Seamus draped his cloak over her shoulders and she thanked him with a soft smile as she pulled it tight around her. She breathed in his scent of sandalwood and musky cologne and as much as she liked it, it couldn't compare with the freshly picked mint leaves and new parchment smell that seemed to linger around Draco. Bella physically shook her head to dislodge the thought from her brain, why couldn't she get the blond haired boy from her mind? And why, when wrapped in the cloak of her boyfriend, was she comparing him to Seamus at all?

When they reached the pitch, they didn't find the Gryffindor team in the air, but on the pitch arguing with the Slytherin team.

"What's going on?" Ron asked, "Why aren't you guys playing."

"We need to train our new seeker." Marcus Flint, Slytherin team captain replied.

"Who's your new seeker?" Oliver asked.

The sea of green robes parted to reveal a smug Draco Malfoy.

"I should've known." Bella commented with a roll of her eyes.

"Malfoy?" Harry gasped.

"Lucius Malfoy's son?" George questioned looking to us.

"The same Lucius Malfoy who bought us these new brooms." Flint stated proudly showing off his brand new broomstick; Nimbus Two Thousand and One.

"Still doesn't explain why no ones playing." Bella said.

"The Nimbus Two Thousand and One is the best model on the market." Draco spoke loudly. "We'll be able to squash you on the pitch without so much as a thought."

"At least no one had to buy their way onto the Gryffindor team, they're actually talented." Hermione spat from Bella's side.

"Who asked for you opinion, you filthy little mudblood?"

There was an instant uproar at his words as the entire Gryffindor team erupted. Draco dove behind his team mates to stop from being trampled as Bella, Fred and George launched themselves at him while Ron fumbled in his pocket for his wand. Bella, being smaller than her lanky brothers, managed to push her way past Flint to land a harsh slap to Draco's cheek. He clutched the hand print on his face as Ron pointed his wand between Draco's eyes. Ron's wand malfunctioned and a loud band rang out around them as Ron was thrown backwards onto the grass.

"Ron!" Hermione shrieked as Bella ran to her brother.

"Are you okay?!" She asked as she dropped onto the grass beside him.

He opened his mouth to speak but instead of words a great, fat, slimy slug fell from his lips onto the grass. There was yet another uproar but this time it was the Slytherin team howling with laughter. Draco has fallen to the ground and was pounding the ground with his fist as he tried to contain his laughter while Bella tried to lift her heavy brother to his feet.

"Give him here." Harry said, sliding Ron's arm over his shoulder and steadying him.

"We'll take him to Hagrid's, it's closer." Hermione said, taking Ron's other side.

The group of second years charged to Hagrid's hut, careful of the slugs still tumbling from Ron's mouth. Bella spun on her heel and stomped over to where Draco was wiping tears from his eyes, the bright red hand print still visible on his face.

"WHAT DID YOU DO THAT FOR?!" She screeched.

"I didn't do anything!" Draco whined as the rest of the Slytherins backed away.

"You know fine well what you did Draco Malfoy." She stuck her finger out towards him and he backed away, stumbling to his feet while Fred and George chuckled.

"Get him sis!" They cheered.

"He tried to curse me, not the other way around!" Draco held his hands up in surrender as Bella advanced towards him.

"You used that foul term towards Hermione. If I ever hear you call her that again I'll do more than slap you."

Bella stomped off after her outburst towards Hagrid's hut. She had more important things to worry about, like the fact her brother was spewing up slugs, than Draco Malfoy and his disgusting attitude. She was sure he would have something to say when he caught her alone but right now she couldn't find it in her to care.

This was what left Bella so confused where he was concerned. On one hand he spoke civilly to her when he was alone but when he was surrounded by an audience he acted the cocky, self obsessed, aristocrat everyone knew him to be. She didn't know the real Draco, she couldn't tell which was an act and that annoyed her more than his stuck-up attitude ever would.


	26. The voice in the walls

Harry and Ron were in a sullen mood that coming lunchtime. Between Ron fearing a slug would appear every time he opened his mouth and their coming detention later that night they were miserable.

"At least once you've done this detention that's it. The car will be forgotten." Bella comforted.

"You'd have to be daft to think I won't hear it from mum when we go home." Ron sighed.

"Well I was trying to comfort you, I'm not exactly going to tell you what you don't want to hear." Bella replied.

For the remainder of the day the pair barely said a word and with a grumbled goodbye they boys left the common room later that night for their respective detentions.

"Personally, I think Harry will have a wonderful time in detention, which isn't really a detention at all." Hermione sighed.

"You're joking, right?" Bella replied. "Lockhart's daft."

"He is not!" Emily said.

"He's excellent." Freya added.

"Whatever you say." Bella said with a roll of her eyes.

Bella spent the rest of her night in the common room waiting for Ron and Harry to finish their detentions. The common room had been vacant for an hour but still Bella sat waiting. Harry trudged in a little while later, looking a little worse for wear.

"What's up?" Bella asked as he sank into the seat beside her.

"Just something that happened in detention. I'll explain when Ron gets here." Harry took his glasses from his face and rubbed his forehead.

A few minutes later Ron trudged through the portrait hole in much the same fashion as Harry had. He sank onto the sofa on Bella's other side and sighed.

"I hate Filch."

Bella chuckled as Ron grumbled.

"What's going on Harry?" Bella asked.

"There was a voice. In Lockhart's classroom. It said it wanted to kill. Lockhart said he couldn't hear it but I swear I heard it."

"Where was it coming from?" Ron asked.

"Inside the walls." Harry stated.

"Inside the walls?" Bella questioned.

"Yeah. It wasn't as if there was someone in the classroom that we couldn't see, the door was shut. It sounded as if it was in the walls."

"That's so strange." Ron commented.

"I know, I don't understand it either."

* * *

"No! You don't add that until the end! How many times do I have to tell you!"

Unfortunately for Bella she was still partnered with Draco in Potions and the pair were attempting to make a cure for boils.

"Oh I'm sorry, I forgot you were the Potions King!" Bella mocked.

"Oh shove over and let me do it." Draco moaned, pushing her to the side slightly.

"I'm more than capable of making the potion." She seethed pushing him back.

Draco's hand caught the cauldron as he shoved her again and it tipped over, showering Bella in the acrid substance as she screamed. Angry, puss-filled boils appeared over every expanse of Bella's skin as she cried out in pain.

"Malfoy! Take Miss Weasley to the Hospital Wing, now!" Snape barked.

Without touching her weeping skin Draco led Bella from the classroom and down the corridor towards the hospital wing. Bella moaned in pain with every step she took and Draco could only watch her in pain, unable to do anything to help her.

"Madam Pomfrey!" He yelled as soon as the Hospital Wing doors were open.

The matron came running from her office at his voice and ushered Bella towards a bed further up the ward.

"What happened?" She asked.

"Cure for boils gone wrong." Draco answered her.

She summoned vials of potions and bottles of salve from the cabinet as she shooed Draco from the bedside. Bella yelped in pain as Madam Pomfrey examined the blisters all over her skin.

"Drink this, it'll help with the pain." The matron handed Bella a vial with green liquid within and Bella swigged it back, gagging at the taste.

Within seconds her whole body felt as though she'd just been submerged within an ice bath. The burning pain subsided and Bella felt bliss as Madam Pomfrey rubbed the burn salve all over her skin.

"You'll need to stay and let that salve settle in but you should be okay in a few hours." Madam Pomfrey advised Bella once she had finished treating her.

"Thank you." Bella smiled as Madam Pomfrey flitted around the ward.

Draco stood awkwardly at the foot of Bella's bed with a sad look on his face. Bella beckoned towards the seat beside her and he took it.

"I'm so sorry." He said sadly.

"That'll teach you to be such a know-it-all." She smirked at him.

"Are you okay?" He asked with a sheepish grin.

"I'm okay now." She smiled.

The pair shared small smile before Draco coughed awkwardly and rose from the chair.

"I should, um, I should get back to class." He jerked his thumb over his shoulder before turning on his heel and walking swiftly from the Hospital Wing.

Bella watched him go with the quirk of her eyebrow as she shook her head at his strange behaviour and made herself comfortable in the bed she would spend the rest of the day in.

* * *

As promised, Bella was allowed to leave the Hospital Wing later that night, just in time for the feast. Ron spent the feast and the hours afterwards fussing over Bella which reminded Bella of their mother.

"You're seriously going to go to that?"

Harry, Ron and Hermione were telling Bella, Emily and Freya about the invite from Sir Nick to attend his Deathday party on Halloween night.

"Merlin yes! Who alive can say they've ever been to one!" Hermione cried.

"Count me out." Bella commented.

"Me too." Emily agreed.

"And me." Freya added.

"You really won't come with us?" Ron asked.

"Sorry Ron but I'd rather be sat in the warm Great Hall eating delicious food than stuck in the freezing cold dungeons." Bella replied.

"Your loss." Hermione said.

True to their word, Harry, Ron and Hermione were absent from the Halloween feast. Like any special event, the Great Hall was decorated beautifully.

"Let's hope there's no trolls set loose this year." Emily laughed.

"Let's hope not." Seamus laughed back.

There were no trolls this year to everyone's relief. With full stomachs and feeling content the second years left the Great Hall for Gryffindor Tower but were stopped in their tracks by the unmoving crowd. Bella shoved her way to the front and stood shocked at what she saw. Harry, Ron and Hermione stood in the middle of the crowd, a large puddle of water at their feet and expressions of fear on their faces. On the wall behind them in what looked like blood read the words _'The Chamber of Secrets has been opened. Enemies of the heir, beware.'_ To theleft of the writing, something resembling a wire brush was hanging from the torch bracket on the wall. But it wasn't a wire brush, it was Mrs Norris!

"Enemies of the heir, beware? You'll be next mudbloods!" Draco yelled smugly.

He had shoved his way to the front of the gathered crowd and stopped beside Bella. She elbowed him in the stomach and he grunted in pain. Another taller frame came shoving through the crowd and dropped to their knees in the large puddle of water.

"My cat! What have you done to my cat! You've killed her! I'll have you!" Filch was now shaking a long finger in Harry's direction as he wailed.

"It's alright Argus." Came the soothing voice of Professor Dumbledore as he parted the crowd, flanked by a number of other teachers.

He detached Mrs Norris' stiff frame from the torch bracket and beckoned for Filch to follow after him.

"Mr Potter, Mr Weasley, Miss Granger, you too please."

The trio followed after him with sad looks on their faces as the crowd dispersed to their respective common rooms. Draco watched Bella walk away as she glared at him.

"I hope they'll be okay." She commented to Seamus as they walked up the staircase.

If they hadn't been expelled for stealing the flying car, they were sure to be expelled now.


	27. The legend

All anyone could talk in the following weeks was the attack on Mrs Norris. Filch still seemed to believe that Harry had something to do with her attack and would go out of his way to try to punish Harry for very stupid reasons, like breathing or existing. Ginny had taken the attack on Mrs Norris very hard , ending up in floods of tears anytime the cat was mentioned; which seemed to be every five minutes as Ron made multiple jokes about how he wished whatever attacked Mrs Norris would do Filch in as well.

Bella had taken to spending most of her free time in the library. She had always loved books and found the library to be her favourite place in the entire castle. She sometimes brought Ginny with her to the library but found that to be an even bigger mistake; Ginny was very nervous most of the time and could never seem to relax. Bella would never admit it but she was happy when Ginny refused to come to the library again with her, it meant she could finally get some work done, or so she thought.

"Hey tiny, what's up?"

Cedric sent her a big goofy smile as he perched on the edge of her desk.

"Hey Cedric, I'm hiding away from everyone here." She laughed.

"That bad?" He asked.

"Like you wouldn't believe. Filch has been targeting Harry everywhere he goes and Ginny won't stop crying every time Mrs Norris is mentioned which Ron seems to find hilarious." She moaned.

"You've got a lot of problems for such an ickle second year." He teased.

"Oh shut up." She laughed.

Cedric's friends gestured for him to follow them from the doorway of the library and he nodded his head.

"I'll see you later." He smiled.

"Bye." Bella replied as he jogged to catch up with his friends.

Bella's eyes turned back to her work on the table in front of her and she was startled when she found Draco sitting across from her.

"What's your deal with Diggory?" He questioned angrily.

"I don't really see how that's any of your business." Bella replied, flicking through the pages of her book. She heard him growl in anger and inwardly smirked.

"He's a fifth year, you're a second year." He stated.

"Wow, well done for stating the obvious." She replied.

"So you're saying there is something going on?" He asked.

"No. I have a boyfriend, in case you've forgotten, and as you said, he's in fifth year and I'm in second year, of course there's nothing going on." She snapped.

"Why's he always hanging around then."

"We are friends. That's it." She replied.

"I don't like it." He stated.

"I don't care."

* * *

"I was wondering if you could tell us anything about the Chamber of Secrets, Professor?"

Every head in the History of Magic classroom turned towards Hermione as she done the unthinkable; raised her hand. Professor Binns looked around, startled, for the voice that dared interrupt his droning.

"Ah, Miss...?"

"Granger, Sir."

"Well, Miss Granger, I teach History of Magic, not History of myths. My subject deals with real facts."

Binns resumed his droning while Hermione huffed. She again raised her hand and began to wave it furiously this time.

"Yes, Miss Granger?" Professor Binns droned.

"Don't all myths and legends start as true facts?"

"Well... yes, you could say that." Binns pondered.

The classroom filled with students were hanging on Binns every word. The poor Professor seemed overwhelmed by the attention he was receiving.

"Oh, okay then. The Chamber of Secrets." He whispered.

"As you are all very aware Hogwarts was founded over a thousand years ago by the greatest witches and wizards of their age. This is where the four school houses get their names: Godric Gryffindor, Salazar Slytherin, Rowena Ravenclaw and Helga Hufflepuff. In the times when this castle was built, magic was feared by common folk, muggles if you will, and so they built it far away from nosey muggles."

"For the first few years the founders worked brilliantly together, bringing all of the magical children together to learn and thrive in their magic. However, disagreements began between Slytherin and the others, Slytherin believed that only children from magical families should be allowed to study magic at Hogwarts and the others strongly disagreed. After a while, there was a heated argument between Slytherin and Gryffindor and Slytherin left Hogwarts. This is where fact ends and fiction begins in our tale. The story goes that Slytherin, unbeknownst to the other founders, built a hidden chamber within the castle. Slytherin sealed the chamber so that only his true heir could open it when they arrived at the school. The heir would be able to open the chamber, unleash the horrors locked within and purge the school of unworthy magical beings."

There was an uncomfortable silence as Professor Binns finished his tale. Every eye within the classroom was locked on the Professor, hoping for more.

"Nonsense, of course. The castle has been searched for any such chamber many, many times and no evidence has ever been found to suggest there is indeed a hidden chamber somewhere in the castle."

Hermione's hand shot back into the air.

"Professor, what do you mean by the 'horrors locked within' the chamber?"

"It is believed, Miss Granger, that there is a monster locked within the chamber, a monster that only the true heir of Slytherin can control. I shall tell you now, no such monster exists."

"But sir," Seamus piped up from Bella's side. "If the chamber can only be opened by Slytherins heir then surely Dumbledore, or anyone else, can't open it?"

"You might need to use dark magic to open it." Emily added.

"You might have to be a descendent of Slytherin so Dumbledore, of course, can't open it." Agreed Freya.

"That is enough!" Professor Binns snapped in the loudest voice he could muster. "It is a myth, only a myth. There is no such thing as the Chamber of Secrets!"

Before anyone could again challenge the legend of the Chamber of Secrets, Professor Binns was back to droning on about the Goblin Wars and the class full of students was back to being as bored as ever.


	28. Excuse you

"Who would've known that Slytherin started all this pure-blood stuff." Ron questioned.

"Um... everyone." Bella replied sarcastically.

Ron had been going on about the Chamber of Secrets since Professor Binns class that afternoon and Bella was getting extremely frustrated with him.

"Do you -"

"Oh my Merlin, Ron! Enough about the Chamber already!" Bella cried.

"You don't have to be rude about it." Ron snapped.

Bella huffed as he piled his plate with food and began to shovel it into his mouth. For some reason Bella was in a very snappy mood and the thought of staying in the Great Hall much longer made her irritated. She pushed out of her seat and stormed from the hall without a word. Bella stomped through the corridors until she reached the seventh floor, dropping onto the window sill at the end of the corridor.

"Are you alright?" Seamus asked her as he sat down on the window sill, startling her.

"Yeah." She sighed, leaning back against the wall and pulling her knees to her chest.

"You're not. What's wrong."

"I don't know. I just feel really annoyed today."

Seamus moved to sit next to her, wrapping his arm around her and pulling her into him. She snuggled into him, burying her face in his chest. She breathed in the scent that lingered on his robes and her irritated mood began to dissipate. They sat like that for a while before Bella pulled back, leaning against the window behind her.

"Are you alright now?" Seamus asked.

"Yeah. Thank you." She smiled.

Seamus leaned forward and kissed Bella's lips softly.

"Get a room."

The pair sprang apart awkwardly and Bella looked over Seamus' shoulder to see a disgusted looking Draco standing a few feet away. Bella groaned as Seamus' turned to see who had interrupted them.

"Why are you everywhere?" Bella groaned.

"People don't need to see your public displays of affection. I'd like to keep my dinner in my stomach thanks very much." Draco drawled, leaning against the wall opposite them.

"You know what to do then, piss off." Seamus snapped.

"Come on, he's not worth it." Bella said to Seamus as she grabbed his hand and pulled him from the window sill.

Bella looked over shoulder to glare at Draco as he smirked at her anger. She didn't let go of Seamus' hand as they walked down the long corridors back to Gryffindor tower.

"He's such an arrogant git." Seamus fumed.

"Yeah." Bella replied as she stepped through the portrait hole, dropping Seamus' hand.

Bella plopped down onto the sofa in the deserted common room and her stomach let out a growl in the silence which made Seamus chuckle as he sat down in the arm chair opposite her.

"I feel bad that you've barely eaten." Bella said.

"Don't be. I've got loads of sweets in my room, do you want some?" Seamus asked.

"No, thanks." She smiled. "I'm actually not even that hungry."

"Your stomach begs to differ." Seamus teased.

The pair sat in the empty common room, teasing and bickering as they waited for the rest of their house to return. They didn't have to wait long before the hoards of students flooded the common room.

"Just who does he think he is?!" Ron was yelling as he soldiered through the portrait hole.

"What's wrong?" Bella asked him.

"Percy, as usual." Ron groaned as he dropped down on the sofa beside her.

"What's he done now?"

"We were having a look in the corridor with the writing on the wall and he yelled at us and took five points from Gryffindor." Hermione explained.

"What were you looking for?" Seamus asked.

"We weren't actually looking for anything specific, just seeing if we could find any clues about what's attacking people." Harry answered.

"And did you find anything?" Bella asked.

"Well, there were some scorch marks on the ground and the spiders were acting oddly." Hermione replied as Ron shuddered.

"Oddly?" Seamus asked.

"Yeah. They were all scrambling towards the crack in the window, as if they were trying to escape." Harry replied.

"Can we please stop talking about the spiders now?" Ron cried.

Bella laughed at his discomfort as Hermione struggled to contain her giggles.

* * *

"Who do you think it could be? I mean, who would want to kill all muggle-borns?"

Harry, Hermione and Ron had now told Emily and Freya what they found in the corridor and they were just as confused as the rest of them.

"I think we all know who that could be." Ron sneered.

"If you say Malfoy -"

"Of course it's him!" Ron fumed, cutting Bella off.

"Don't be stupid!" Bella fumed back.

"It does make sense, _'You'll be next, mudbloods'_ , who would say that if they weren't guilty?" Harry added.

"It's not him." Bella defended.

"How would you know?" Ron asked.

"I'm telling you, he doesn't have it in him." Bella replied.

"We'll only know for sure one way." Hermione said, looking deep in thought.

"How?" Emily asked.

"We have to ask him." Hermione answered.

"So we're just supposed to walk up to him and ask him, cause he'll definitely tell us." Ron scoffed.

"No." Hermione snapped. "We have to ask him without him knowing it's us."

"How are we supposed to do that?" Freya asked.

"Polyjuice potion." Hermione replied.

"No. No way. Absolutely not." Bella said.

"Why not, it's the best option we have!" Hermione cried.

"What's Polyjuice potion?" Ron asked.

"It's a potion that makes you turn into someone else. It's perfect really, we can turn into a couple of the Slytherins, sneak into the common room and ask him. I'll bet he's down there right now bragging about it." Hermione said.

"This doesn't sound very safe Hermione." Harry said skeptically.

"Oh come on, we've got to try. The only thing is getting a copy of the recipe, it's in one of the books in the restricted section." Hermione stared off into space as she pondered what to do.

"And just how do you expect to get it. No teacher's going to sign a permission slip for it, they're too smart." Ron scoffed.

"Not all of them." Harry commented.

All eyes in the group turned to Harry as his eyes widened in surprise.

"Lockhart would sign anything if you asked." He added.

"I'll get the slip from him in class tomorrow." Hermione smiled.

"Yeah cause he likes you." Ron grumbled.

Bella thought the entire plan was horrendous. There was no way Draco was the heir of Slytherin; yes he could be nasty when he tried but he didn't have the courage to do anything like that. As for the plan, Bella would save everyone the hassle and ask him herself.


	29. Don't be absurd

Hermione had acquired the permission slip from Lockhart with ease and had collected the book titled _Moste Potente Potions_ from Madam Pince that afternoon. Bella had decided she wanted nothing to do with their outrageous plan and so she found herself sitting alone at her usual table in the library while her friends schemed in their dormitory. As always when she was alone in the library she was joined by Draco not long after she arrived.

"Can I help you?" She asked, not looking away from the book she was reading.

"Where are your batty friends this time?" He asked.

"Planning ways to get you expelled." She answered.

Draco spluttered while Bella chuckled behind her book.

"Seriously?!" He asked.

"I'm kidding." Bella laughed.

Draco glared at her while she continued to read. A thought crossed her mind and she decided that now, in the nearly empty library, was the best time to voice it.

"Can I ask you something?" She raised her eyes to look at him as she spoke.

"Sure." Draco said skeptically.

"Do you know anything about the Chamber of Secrets?"

Draco sighed as he rubbed his face.

"I thought you were going to ask me something serious."

"This is serious!"

"No, I don't know anything about the chamber. Did you honestly think I had something to do with that?"

"No, I didn't, but other people do."

"Your brother and your friends?"

"You can't blame them, you did call Hermione a mudblood last year."

"That doesn't mean that I'm going around the school trying to kill them."

Bella sighed. She had known that Draco wasn't the heir of Slytherin but she was worried about what would happen with this plan her friends had.

"So you don't know anything at all?"

"No. I'm as clueless as you."

This helped to settle Bella's nerves. She knew that no matter what happened her friends would finally soon realise that Draco had nothing to do with it.

Draco left shortly after their discussion and Bella stayed in the library until it closed just before curfew. She had been hoping to avoid any arguments with her friends about Draco or the Polyjuice potion but she had no such luck as she found them all huddled around the large potions book on Hermione's bed.

"Where have you been?" Ron asked.

"The library." Bella commented dryly, dropping her stuff onto the bed.

Bella looked through her drawers for her pyjamas as the group whispered things behind her. She rolled her eyes as she heard the words _'Draco'_ , _'common room'_ , and _'polyjuice'_ thrown around. With a loud, exaggerated sigh Bella trudged into the bathroom and closed the door behind her. She couldn't believe they were still going through with this stupid plan! With heavy frustration Bella pulled her school uniform off and her pyjamas on as she fought not to scream, she really thought that they would believe her when she told them Draco wasn't the heir but she should have known, they would always believe the worst in him.

"What's your problem?" Ron asked the second the bathroom door was opened.

"I would have thought you would know by now." Bella sneered.

"You don't still have a problem with the polyjuice, do you?" Emily asked.

"Of course I do!" Bella cried. "Not only is it an invasion of privacy but it's illegal!"

"Invasion of privacy?! Bella, someone attacked Mrs Norris and I would bet my life it was Malfoy!" Ron fumed.

"How many times do I need to tell you?! It's not him!" Bella yelled.

"How do you know it's not him?!" Ron yelled back.

"I just do, okay!" Bella defended.

When no one said a word in response Bella huffed in frustration and grabbed her blanket from the bottom of her bed, dragging it behind her to the common room.

"What's got your knickers in a twist little sis?" Fred asked from behind her at the foot of the staircase.

"Ron being an arse again." She growled, pushing through the common room to the sofa and dropping into it.

"What's new?" George teased as they stood in front of their angry little sister.

"I'm fed up of him and they're all on his side so I'm sleeping down here." Bella huffed.

"This couch is lumpy." Fred commented.

"Better a lumpy couch than another argument."

Fred and George sat on the lumpy couch with Bella until she could no longer keep her eyes open, falling asleep on Fred's shoulder.

When she awoke a few hours later it took her a few seconds to realise she wasn't in her dorm but in the common room. She moved her feet slightly and instead of hitting the arm of the sofa they collided with someone's leg. Bella shot up from her position on the sofa and had to rub her eyes to see she was looking at a sleeping Seamus. He groaned in his sleep and groggily opened his eyes.

"Whatsamatter?"

Bella chucked at him and she moved backwards to rest her back against the arm of the sofa.

"You gave me a fright, I wasn't expecting you." Bella answered.

"Well I wasn't going to leave you down here all by yourself, was I?" Seamus spoke with a voice laced with tiredness.

Bella smiled as she turned on the sofa and lay back against Seamus. He wrapped his arm around her middle and she drifted back to sleep with the scents of sandalwood in her nostrils.


	30. Incompetent

The morning after their fight was the Gryffindor versus Slytherin Quidditch match. Bella changed without a word to the girls in her dorm and spent breakfast with Seamus and Dean, receiving glares to the back of her head from Ron. In the Quidditch stands Bella led Seamus and Dean to the opposite side of the bench from her brother and the twins glared at each other as they waited for the game to begin.

"What's going on with you and Ron?" Dean asked, glancing warily between the silently rowing siblings.

"He's an arse." Bella replied.

Any reply Dean had was cut off when the Gryffindor and Slytherin teams flew up into the air and the crowd roared; Madam Hooch blew the starting whistle and off they went. The Slytherin teams new brooms outstripped the Gryffindors by a long shot, they flew across the pitch like little green blurs while the Gryffidor team tried their hardest to beat them. Bella watched as Harry tried his hardest to find the snitch but Draco was streaking up the pitch, taunting Harry. She gasped out loud and gripped Seamus' hand as a bludger raced past Harry, narrowly missing his head.

Bella was on the edge of her seat as George gave the bludger an almighty whack and it shot off towards Adrian Pucey, instead of hitting the burly Slytherin the bludger changed course and shot straight for Harry again. Bella was now gripping Seamus' hand so hard she was sure it was painful, but he didn't say a word. Harry was flying full speed towards the other side of the pitch where Fred was waiting, the bludger hot on his heels. He ducked just as Fred swung his bat and sent the bludger flying towards Draco. Again, it swerved and shot back towards Harry, and George was quick to send it down the other end of the pitch to give Harry a head start before it began it's pursuit of him yet again.

To make matters worse, the rain had begun to fall in massive droplets, making Harry's situation that much worse. He wiped furiously at his face, wiping the rain from his glasses. He was searching the pitch for the snitch as Fred and George took up residence on either side of him. Bella was shaking now, whether from the cold or anxiety, she didn't know. Hooch's whistle was heard thought the stadium as the teams flew to the ground, Fred and George tackling the rogue bludger before it could make contact with an unsuspecting Harry's back.

"What do you think they'll do?" Dean asked.

"I don't know, but it doesn't look good." Bella replied.

She released her Vulcan like grip on Seamus' hand and could swear she heard him sigh in relief.

"What are they doing?!" She heard Ron yell as the players all rose back into the air.

Harry was zigzagging around the pitch, trying to avoid the bludger while trying to catch the snitch. The Slytherin team were so far ahead that the only way Gryffindor would win the match was if Harry caught the snitch before Slytherin scored again.

"Training for the ballet, Potter?"

Bella heard Draco taunting Harry again as he flew closer to him and that's when she noticed it, the golden snitch was hovering about Draco's left shoulder, just beside his ear. Harry must have noticed this too as he surged forward, nearly tackling Draco to the ground as he grabbed the small item in his hand. In his momentum he didn't have enough time to pull up before he went tumbling to the ground at an odd angle.

Forgetting everything and everyone around her, Bella raced from the Gryffindor stadium and onto the pitch, landing on her knees at Harry's side. He lay there, unconscious as the Gryffindor team and Madam Hooch surrounded him.

"Move back, now!" Hooch yelled to the team as the teachers came running onto the pitch.

Bella raised Harry's head to lay on her lap as Ron joined her on the ground at Harry's side. The pair shared a look before they were joined on the ground by none other than Lockhart. Bella ran her hands through Harry's hair as he groaned in pain and slowly opened his eyes.

"Oh no, not you." He spoke groggily.

"Doesn't know what he's saying." Lockhart laughed.

"He knows exactly what he's saying, you're useless." Bella sneered.

"Miss Weasley!" Professor McGonagall gasped.

"One simple little spell will have that arm of yours sorted in no time." Lockhart was saying to Harry.

"No, thank you." Harry spoke at the same time Ron yelled "You won't touch him."

"Now, now, Mr Weasley." Lockhart said, lifting his wand high in the air.

Just as the words left Lockhart's mouth, Bella bent forward over Harry, covering him. She cried out in pain as the spell hit her back and she tried to recoil from it but found she couldn't move at all, she had no bones. Bella was now gasping for breath as her lungs were unsupported.

"Ah, simple mistake. Madam Pomfrey will soon have you sorted right out." Lockhart stammered.

"Simple mistake?!" Ron yelled. "She's got no bones!"

"She's not breathing!" Harry yelled from under her.

Ron frantically pulled Bella back and her face had gone blue and there was no breath coming from her, her chest still.

"Look what you've done!" Ron yelled as Fred and George helped him lift Bella into their arms.

Lockhart stammered for a response but they weren't listening. Harry had hoisted himself from the ground and Ron, Fred and George were now trying frantically to bundle Bella's limp body towards the hospital wing. A strong pair of arms pulled Bella from them and they watched in shock as Snape hoisted Bella into his arms and strode off quickly towards the hospital. George ran ahead and pushed open the large oak doors to the hospital wing, calling for Madam Pomfrey.

"What in the heavens is going on here?!"

She caught sight of Bella's lifeless body in Snape's arms and quickly set about fixing her. Her brothers stood watching tensely as Madam Pomfrey worked to save their sister. Ron was quietly sobbing into George's side as he watched. Madam Pomfrey sent Snape further into the hospital wing for some vials she needed and he returned swiftly. Pomfrey poured vial after vial down her throat and Ron cried out in relief when Bella gasped for air.

"You're in for a long night dear." Madam Pomfrey sighed. "Re-growing bones is a painful process."

"Is Ron here?" Bella croaked.

Madam Pomfrey stepped to the side as Ron dropped to his knees on the floor beside her. He wrapped his arms around her softly and held her in his arms as the last tears fell from his eyes.

"I thought you were dead."

"It's going to take more than Lockhart to take me out." She laughed which quickly turned to a coughing fit.

"We're glad you're okay sis." Fred smiled over Ron's shoulder.

"Don't know what we'd do if you died. Who would test our prank products?" George added.

Bella smiled as she looked at the faces of her three brothers. She heard footsteps behind them and turned her head to see Snape leaving the hospital wing, the doors slamming shut behind him.

Madam Pomfrey allowed the siblings some time together before she shooed them from the ward, Ron lingered behind to speak to Bella on his own before he left.

"I'm sorry." He sighed.

"I'm sorry too."

He took her pale, shaking hand in his and gave it a gentle squeeze.

"I hate fighting with you." He said.

"I hate fighting with you too." She replied. "This doesn't mean I agree though."

"I didn't think you would." Ron laughed.

Madam Pomfrey then shooed Ron from the ward with a promise that she would be allowed out of the hospital wing come morning. The matron had been right, re-growing bones was hell on earth. Through the evening Bella downed more of the foul liquid and cried out in pain each time a bone began to grow back. Madam Pomfrey gave her a dreamless sleep potion later that night and she drifted off to sleep with the pain in her torso and her thoughts of how she would get payback on Lockhart.


End file.
